1.  11.33 


LIBRARY    OF    THE    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,     N.    J. 
PRESENTED  BY 

PRINCETON  UNIVERSITY 


BV  210  .W435  1860 
White,  Hugh 
Meditations  and  addresses  on 
the  subject  of  prayer 


^>. 


MEDITATIONS    AND   ADDRESSES 


ON  THE    SUBJECT  OF 


PEAYEE. 


BY 

THE  REV.  HUGH  WHITE,  A.M., 

AITTHOB    OF    "THB    BBLEBVES:  A   SBEIK8    OF    DI8COTJE8ES,"    40. 


NEW  YORK: 
ROBERT   CARTER   &   BROTHERS, 

No.    580    BROADWAY. 
1860. 


PREFACE. 


As  it  has  pleased  the  Almighty  Disposer  of  all 
events,  that  I  should  continue  in  a  state  of  health, 
which  still  incapacitates  me  for  active  exertion,  in 
my  divine  Master's  service,  I  have  been  led  to 
adopt  the  medium  of  the  press,  as  a  substitute  foi 
the  ministrations  of  the  pulpit ;  and  thus  to  labour 
in  my  heavenly  Master's  cause,  not,  indeed,  in  the 
way  I  would  have  myself  preferred,  but  in  the 
only  way  now  placed  within  ^y  reach. 

Should  these  pages  meet  tht  «yes  of  any  of  the 
beloved  parishioners  or  congiegation,  amongst 
whom  I  was  once  privileged  to  preach  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel,  I  would  entreat  of  them  to 
accept  my  renewed  assurance,  that  though  mv 
pastoral  mmistrations  among  them  have  been 
suspended,  my  grateful  love  for  them,  and  affec- 
tionate solicitude  for  their  spiritual  welfare,  have 
not,  therefore  ceased ;  but  that  the  memory  of  the 
time,  when  I  used  to  meet  them,  and  minister 
among  them,  in  the  house  of  God,  ranks  high 
among  the  recollections,  on  which,  in  the  retro- 
spect of  my  life,  I  most  love  to  linger. 


!V  PREFACE. 

And  if  this  litt.e  Volume  should  be  made  to 
any  of  them,  through  the  divine  blessing,  the 
means  of  promoting  their  best — that  is,  their  eter- 
nal interests,  I  shall,  indeed,  feel  that  all  my  time 
and  labour  have  been  abundantly  repaid. 

Most  gratefully  will  I  rejoice  in  the  result  of 
what  I  have  written,  if,  thereby,  through  the  di- 
vine power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  a  single  soul 
may  be  led  to  cultivate,  in  the  retirement  of  the 
closet,  more  fervent,  and  more  frequent  commu- 
nion with  its  God — convinced,  as  I  each  day 
more  deeply  feel,  that,  in  proportion  to  a  believ- 
er's progress  or  decline,  in  the  diligent  and  devout 
use  of  this  divinely-appointed  means  of  sustaining 
and  strengthening  the  life  of  God  within  his  soul, 
with  all  his  spiritual  energies  and  attainments 
advance  or  retrograde ;  all  his  spiritual  joys  and 
consolations  flourish  or  decay. 

I  would  now  cast  this  mite,  for  the  service  of 
the  sanctuary,  into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord,  with 
an  earnest  prayer,  that  He  would  vouchsafe,  in 
His  infinite  condescension,  to  accept  it  as  an  offer- 
ing of  His  servant's  gratitude ;  and  accompany  it 
with  that  blessing,  without  which  all  our  labours 
are  utterly  in  vam. 


CONTENTS. 


MEDITATION  I. 

On  the  Importance  of  Prayer  «        •       .        «         7 

MEDITATION  II. 

On  the  Nature  of  Prayer        .        •       .       •       •        18 

MEDITATION  III. 

A  Reflection  and  a  Caution  on  the  Subfect  of 

Prayer 47 

ADDRESS   IV. 

On  the  Union  of  Reverence  and  Freedom  in  Prayer        67 

ADDRESS    V. 

On  the  Union  of  Humility  and  Confidence  in 

Prayer 90 

1* 


CONTENTS.  VI 

ADDRESS  VI. 

VA.au 
On  the  Union  of  Witchfulness  and  Dependence  in 

Prayer 116 

ADDRESS   VII. 

On  Prayer  for  Temporal  Blessings         ,        .        .151 

ADDRESS   VIII. 

On  Intercessory  Prayer  .       .       •       ,       .      184 

ADDRESS   IX. 

On  Thanksgiving  and  Praise         ,        •        ,        ,      flS9 


MEDITATIONS;  &c. 


MEDITATION  I. 

ON  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PRAYER. 

"Then,  began  men  to  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
—Gen.  iv.  26. 

"All  things,  whatsoever,  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  belieTing 
ye  shall  receive." — Matt,  xxi.  22. 

"  Pray  without  ceasing." — 1  Thes.  v.  17. 

That  there  is  much  in  the  present  aspect 
of  the  professing  religious  world,  (as  it  is 
called,)  calculated  to  excite  feelings  of  sor- 
row and  alarm,  cannot  be  denied,  and  should 
not  be  concealed.  Much  hollow  profession 
— much  feverish  excitement — much  danger- 
ous love  of  novelty,  and  desire  to  make  voy- 
ages of  discovery,  (or,  as  I  have  heard  such 
speculations  well  described,  "  flighty  excur- 
sions,") into  Scripture;  and  an  impatient 
spirit  of  insubordination  to  all  authority,  pro- 


O  MEDITATION    I. 

ducing  a  species  of  radicalism  in  religion,  re- 
luctant to  pay  the  deference  that  is  due  to 
opinions  long  established,  and  almost  as  it 
were  consecrated  by  the  venerable  voice  of 
antiquity,  and  the  harmonious  consent  of 
the  wisest  and  best  of  every  age  of  the  church 
of  Christ ;  or  to  bow,  with  any  measure  of 
submission  or  respect,  to  those  veterans  in 
the  Christian  warfare,  who  have  grown  grey 
in  the  Saviour's  service,  and  to  whose  un- 
flinching faithfulness,  in  many  a  hard-fought 
field,  and  matured  experience  in  all  the  toils 
and  trials  of  the  Christian  conflict,  though 
not  a  slavish  submission,  yet  assuredly  a  res- 
pectful deference,  is  due  from  those  inexpe- 
rienced recruits,  who  have  only  just  enlisted 
under  the  banners  of  the  cross. 

It  should,  however,,  be  equally  admitted, 
and  thankfully  acknowledged,  that  there  is 
much  connected  with  the  cause  of  religion, 
in  our  day,  calculated  to  call  forth  feelings 
of  the  liveliest  pleasure,  and  the  deepest  gra- 
titude, in  every  Christian  breast. 

There  is  an  unquestionable  increase  of 


ON    THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    PRAYER.  9 

thirst  for  scriptural  study,  and  knowledge 
of  scriptural  truth ;   a  more  distinctly  faith- 
ful, and  widely  extended  proclamation  of 
the  gospel  message  of  a  free,  full,  and  ever- 
lasting salvation,  through  the  alone  merito- 
rious cross  and  passion  of  the  Son  of  God. 
The  preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  in  all  the 
length  and  breadth  of  that  apostolical  sum- 
mary of  the  gospel,  has,  (blessed  be  God  !)  to 
a  great  extent,  superseded  the  preaching  of 
that    half-heathen,   half-Christian  morality, 
which  so  long  usurped,  in  our  pulpits,  the 
place  assigned  in  Scripture  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  cross.    Christian  compassion  has,  after  the 
sleep  of  ages,  been  awakened  to  pity  the  be- 
nighted condition  of  the  heathen  world  ;  and 
Christian  philanthropy  has  embodied  her  holy 
and  benevolent  zeal,  to  advance  the  Redeem- 
er's glory,  and  the  temporal  and  eternal  wel- 
fare of  mankind,  in  those  numerous  socie- 
ties and   missionary  labours,  which   are  at 
once  the  glory  and  reproach  of  our  day  ;  its 
glory,  that  so  many  Christian  societies,  the 
heralds  of  a  Saviour's  love,  have  been  raised 


10  MEDITATION    1- 

up  amongst  us ;  its  reproach,  that  any  of 
them  should  be  allowed  to  languish  for  want 
of  funds,  while  there  is  so  much  that  could  be 
retrenched  from  superfluities,  in  the  decora- 
tions of  dress,  and  the  indulgencies  of  lux- 
ury, among  even  the  faithful  followers  of 
Him,  who  was  crucified  for  us  men,  and  for 
our  salvation. 

But  while  the  wide-extended  spread,  that 
in  our  day  has  been  given  to  the  diffusion 
of  Christian  truth,  and  the  mighty  impulse 
that  has  been  imparted  to  the  exertions  of 
Christian  zeal,  afford  matter  of  honest  ex- 
ultation, and  grateful  joy ;  (and,  from  my 
heart,  I  pity  the  man,  who  does  not  find  in 
them  a  theme  for  holy  joy  and  thankfulness,) 
there  is  one  feature  of  the  Christian  charac- 
ter, in  which  I  cannot  but  fear  that  there  has 
not  been  an  advance,  at  all  proportioned  to 
the  progress  discernible  in  so  many  others : 
and,  yet,  one  of  such  paramount  importance, 
that  on  it,  above  every  other,  the  progress 
of  the  divine  life,  in  the  believer's  soul,  is 
suspended.      One   so   indispensably   neces- 


ON    THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    PRAYER.         11 

sary  for  the  furtherance  of  his  growth  in 
grace,  and  advancement  in  holiness,  that 
if  it  be  neglected,  no  knowledge  however 
clear,  no  information  however  extensive,  no 
studies  however  deep,  in  scriptural  truth — 
yea,  no  sacrifices  however  costly,  or  zeal 
however  ardent,  or  labours  however  un- 
wearied, can  compensate  for  the  neglect ; 
which  will  assuredly  be  followed  and  chas- 
tised by  a  decline  and  decay  in  every  spiri- 
tual grace,  and,  if  persevered  in,  by  every 
appalling  symptom  of  approaching  spiritual 
death. 

Need  I  add,  that  I  mean  the  habit  of  private 
prayer — of  devout  communion,  in  the  retire- 
ment of  our  closets,  with  the  Father  of  Spi- 
rits— entering  into  our  chamber,  and  shutting 
the  door,  and  praying  to  our  Father  in  heaven, 
who  heareth  in  secret — coming  before  lliui, 
in  all  the  confidingness  and  grateful  affection 
of  children,  in  whose  hearts  the  Spirit  of 
adoption  has  been  shed  abroad,  whereby  we 
are  privileged  to  cry  Abba,  Father — ap- 
proaching a  reconciled   God,  through  His 


J  2  MEDITATION    I. 

dear  Son,  in  such  a  spirit,  to  spread  out  be* 
fore  Him  all  our  wants  and  wishes ;  to  pour 
all  our  griefs  and  anxieties  into  His  compas- 
sionate ears ;  to  confess  to  Him  all  our  sins  ; 
and  confide  to  Him  all  our  sorrows ;  seek- 
ing to  be  supported  by  His  strength,  sancti- 
fied by  His  Spirit,  guided  by  His  counsel, 
and  gladdened  by  His  consolations  ?  Now, 
I  cannot  conceal  my  apprehensions,  (and 
indeed  I  say  it  more  in  sorrow  than  in 
anger,)  that  there  has  not  been  a  progress 
in  this  department  of  the  Christian  system, 
at  all  proportionable  to  that  discernible  in 
many  others.  We  live  in  an  age  of  decidedly 
increased  knowledge,  zeal,  exertion,  in  divine 
things — yea !  and  increased  social  prayer  ; 
but  do  we  live  in  an  age  of  proportionably  in- 
creased secret  prayer  ?  I  fear  not — and  to 
this  single  fact  may,  I  think,  be  mainly  at- 
tributed the  many  glaring  inconsistencies  and 
blemishes,  which  disfigured  the  aspect  of  the 
professing  church  of  Christ. 

Prayer  is  the  divinely-appointed  means  of 
sustaining  spiritual  life,  in  a  believer's  soul ; 


ON    THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    PRAYER.         13 

and  by  shedding  on  all  within  the  influence 
of  divine  grace,  imparting  to  all  without  the 
impress  of  the  divine  image. 

It  is  the  gathering  of  the  celestial  manna — 
the  feeding  on  the  living  bread  which  came 
down  from  heaven,  to  nourish  the  soul  to 
everlasting  life  ;  and  for  the  divine  nourish- 
ment thus  obtained,  nothing  can  be  safely 
substituted. 

Praising  the  bread  of  life,  however  warm- 
ly, cannot.  Were  you  to  try  a  similiar  ex- 
periment with  your  daily  food  for  the  body, 
what  would  be  the  result?  And  does  the 
soul  less  require  its  appropriate  nourishment, 
to  strengthen  its  spiritual  life  ? 

Distributing  the  bread  of  life  to  others, 
however  liberal,  cannot  be  safely  substitu- 
ted for  feeding  on  it  ourselves,  by  prayer. 

Try  a  similar  experiment,  but  for  one  day, 
with  the  body  ;  and  will  not  its  weakened 
and  exhausted  state,  at  night,  painfully  re* 
mind  you,  that  the  most  benevolent  zeal  can* 
not  supply  the  place  of  necessary  food,  in 
supporting  animal  life  ?  Behieve  me»  it  caa 
2 


14  MEDITATION    I. 

as  little  supply  the  place  of  secret  prayer,  in 
support  of  the  spiritual. 

Working  for  God,  however  laboriously, 
is  no  safe  substitute  for  devout  communion 
mth  God :  yea  !  the  more  vrork  you  have  to 
do  for  God,  you  but  the  more  require  those 
abundant  supplies  of  divine  wisdom,  grace 
and  strength,  which  you  can  alone  obtain 
by  fervent  prayer,  and  without  which  you 
will  soon  grow  weary  m,  or  weary  of,  your 
work. 

If  the  invigorating  suashine,  and  refresh- 
ing showers  were  withheld,  would  the  seed 
deposited  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth  spring 
forth  ?  Or,  if  it  had  put  forth  its  tender  buds 
and  blossoms  would  they  not,  if  unnourished 
by  heaven's  sunshine  and  showers,  soon  lan- 
guish, wither,  droop,  and  die  ? 

If  the  lamp  be  unfed  with  fresh  supplies 
of  oil,  will  not  the  flame  burn  dimmer  and 
dimmer,  and  at  length  expire  ? 

Not  less  indispensable  is  prayer  to  the  pro- 
gress— yea !  the  very  life  of  spirituality,  in 
a  believer's  sou .  I 


ON  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  PRAYER.    15 

Prayer  draws  down  the  warming  beams 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness — the  refresh- 
ing showers  of  the  Spirit  of  Grace,  be- 
neath whose  genial  influence  all  the  spiritual 
graces,  which  God's  own  hand  has  planted, 
expand  in  their  fullest  bloom,  and  diffuse  al' 
round  their  sweetest  fragrance. 

Prayer,  with  outstretched  arm,  fetches 
from  the  inexhaustible  reservoir  above,  those 
rich  supplies  of  the  oil  of  divine  grace,  fed 
by  which,  the  Christian  lamp  of  faith  will 
burn'  with  a  steady  and  increasing  bright- 
ness ;  till,  having  guided  the  believer  through 
the  journey  of  life  ;  cheered,  by  its  gladden- 
ing ray,  the  gloom  of  the  chamber  of  death ; 
and  even  darted  a  bright  gleam  of  heavenly 
light  deep  down  into  that  dark  valley, 
through  which  he  must  pass  to  the  city  of 
his  God,  it  will  there  be  absorbed  in  the  blaze 
of  light  that  burns  around  the  throne ;  for 
in  that  city  there  is  no  candle  or  lamp  requir- 
ed, yea  !  there  is  no  need  of  the  sun  or  moon 
to  enlighten  iU  for  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof,  and  our  God  its  glory  ! 


16  MEDITATION    I. 

Seeing,  then,  that  the  habit  of  devout 
communion  with  God,  in  the  secret  retire- 
ment of  the  closet,  is  thus  indispensably  ne- 
cessary for  maintaining,  in  vigorous  heahh, 
the  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  and  carrying  on, 
with  hallowed  success,  the  work  of  God  in 
the  world ;  and  fearing,  as  I  do  that  this 
communion  is  not  appreciated  or  enjoyed, 
to  the  extent  it  should  be,  by  many  even  of 
the  children  of  God,  in  this  age  of  extraor- 
dinary excitement  on  all  subjects,  when  a 
kind  of  restless  out-of-doors  rambling  reli- 
gion, remarkable  more,  in  its  best  features, 
for  devotedness  than  devotion,  has  become 
fashionable,  I  have  thought  that  I  might 
profitably  employ  a  portion  of  the  leisure 
time,  which  sickness  has  afforded  me,  in  the 
consideration  of  this  deeply-interesting  and 
all-important  subject. 

Should  these  pages  meet  the  eye  of  one 
who  knows,  by  experience,  the  power  and 
blessedness  of  the  prayer  of  faith,  I  would 
earnestly  entreat  that  believer's  fervent  sup- 
plications at  the  throne  of  grace,  that  the 


ON   THE    IMPORTANCE    OF   PRAYER         17 

almighty  Spirit  would  vouchsafe  to  make  the 
observations  that  are  brought  forward,  how- 
ever weak  or  worthless  in  themselves,  in- 
strumental, through  His  divine  influence,  in 
leading  those  who  may  read  them,  to  a  juster 
appreciation  of  the  privilege,  and  a  fuller  ex- 
perience of  the  power,  of  habitual  secret 
prayer. 

2* 


MEDITATION  II. 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God :  I  will  yet  for  this  be  in- 
quired of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them." — Ezek. 
xxxvi.  37. 

"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you. — Matt,  vii,  7. 

We  may  consider  prayer  in  a  four-fold 
point  of  view.  1.  As  a  duty.  2.  As  a  privilege. 
3.  As  a  pleasure.  And  4.  As  the  appointed 
means  of  obtaining  all  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  blessings  which  we  so  urgently 
want,  and  which  God  delights  so  bountifully 
to  bestow. 

1.  Prayer  is  a  duty. 

Were  it  not  a  waste  of  words  to  labour  to 
prove  this  ?  Surely,  if  God's  tender  care 
over  us  commenced  even  before  we  were 
born,  (for  His  eyes  did  see  and  watch  ove* 


ON    THE    NATURE    OF    PRAYER.  19 

our  members,  yet  being  imperfect,  while  they 
lay  hidden  in  the  womb ;)  if  from  the  mo- 
ment of  our  birth  up  to  the  present.  He  has 
continued  to  watch  over  us,  with  a  love,  of 
whose  sleepless  vigilance  and  yearning  ten- 
derness, the  fondest  mother's  is  but  the 
faintest  emblem ;  if  there  is  not  a  blessing 
we  enjoy,  bodily  or  mental,  personal  or  rela- 
tive, temporal  or  spiritual,  that  is  not  a  gift 
of  his  bounty — a  token  of  his  love  ;  if  there 
is  not  a  source  of  pure  or  purified  happiness, 
that  has  gladdened  us  in  the  past,  nor  a  hope 
that  brightens  the  prospect  of  the  future,  for 
time  or  for  eternity,  that  has  not  flowed  to 
us  from  this  Fountain  of  all  our  mercies  ; 
Oh !  surely  it  must  be  our  duty  to  render  to 
the  Author  and  Preserver  of  our  life,  and 
all  its  blessings,  the  homage  of  our  gratitude  ; 
to  offer  to  Him  the  sacrifice  of  prayer  and 
praise,  and 

"  Pay  Him  thanks — how  due !" 

If  we  cannot  draw  a  single  breath,  but 
by  His  permission ;    cannot  take  a  single 


20  MEDITATION    II. 

Step  in  safety,  but  by  His  protection;  oi 
lay  claim  to  the  continuance  of  a  single 
blessing,  but  on  the  ground  of  His  mercy  ; 
surely  it  must  be  our  duty  humbly  to  ac- 
knowledge our  absolute  and  uninterrupted 
dependence  on  our  Almighty  Protector  and 
Benefactor;  and  earnestly  to  supplicate 
the  continuance  of  His  guardianship  and 
guidance  ;  His  directing  Spirit,  and  uphold- 
ing strength  ;  His  providential  bounty,  and 
renewing  grace. 

And  if  our  provocations  have  been  as 
unnumbered  as  His  mercies,  and  our  sins 
as  countless  as  His  loving-kindnesses ;  if  we 
have  rebelled  against  His  righteous  au- 
thority ;  trampled,  in  contemptuous  disobe- 
dience, on  His  holy  laws ;  abused,  to  His 
dishonour.  His  most  precious  gifts ;  and 
requited  all  His  goodness  with  a  stupid 
forgetfulness  of  the  hand  that  has  fed,  and 
guided,  and  upheld  us,  and  lavished  on  us 
all  our  blessings — a  base  ingratitude,  which 
degrades  us  far  below  the  very  dullest  of 
the  brute  creation ;  for  even  "  the  ox  know 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.      21 

eth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  its  master's  crib  ; 
but  Israel  doth  not  know,"  (is  the  complaint 
of  God,)  "  My  people  doth  not  consid-er" — 
surely,  if  these  things  be  so,  it  must  be  c^r 
bounden  duty  to  come  before  God,  in  a  self- 
abasing  and  penitential  spirit,  to  confess 
our  sinfulness,  and  deprecate  His  displeasure ; 
and  with  that  broken  and  contrite  heart, 
which  He  will  not  despise,  to  acknowledge 
and  bewail  our  manifold,  most  aggravated 
and  inexcusable  offences,  by  thought,  word, 
and  deed,  against  His  divine  majesty  and 
mercy.  And  if,  in  the  boundlessness  of  His 
compassion.  He  has  opened  for  us  a  way  of 
forgiveness  and  reconciliation,  oh,  must  it 
not  be  our  duty  to  come  before  Him,  and 
seek  forgiveness,  in  this  way  of  His  own 
appointment,  with  all  the  earnestness  of 
criminals,  who  believe  that  over  them  hangs 
suspended  the  sentence  of  eternal  death — 
with  all  the  humility  of  criminals,  who  feel 
that  they  deserve  to  die  ? 

Surely,  surely,  the  attitude  that  best  be- 
comes us,  as  sinful  worms  of  the  dust,  is  that 


22  MEDITATION   II. 

of  suppliants,  kneeling  at  the  footstool  of  the 
throne  of  grace,  smiting  on  our  breasts,  and 
crying — "  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner  !" 
— yet  pleading  for  pardon,  with  all  the  hum- 
ble confidence  of  faith,  in  an  all-sufficient 
Saviour's  name. 

2.  Prayer  is  a  privilege. 

Had  we  the  liberty  of  constant  access  to 
an  earthly  monarch,  whose  wisdom,  munifi- 
cence, power,  and  love  for  us,  were  all  un- 
limited, and  would  all,  on  our  urgent  entreaty, 
be  exerted  on  our  behalf ;  and  were  we  as- 
sured that  our  frequent  visits,  and  impor- 
tunate supplications,  so  far  from  wearying* 
or  displeasing,  really  gratified  our  Royal 
Master,  and  were  regarded  by  Him  as  tokens 
of  our  reverence,  loyalty,  and  love  ;  would 
we  not  justly  esteem  this  a  very  exalted 
privilege,  and  most  gladly  and  gratefully 
avail  ourselves  of  the  precious  boon,  which 
our  sovereign's  bounty  had  bestowed  ? 

Yet,  were  this  privilege  utterly  valueless, 
compared  with  that  which  the  believer  en- 
joys in  prayer. 


ON     THE     NATITRE    OP    PRAYER.  23 

By  prayer  we  are  admitted  into  the  pre- 
sence of  the  King  of  kings  ;  we  hold  com- 
munion with  the  Sovereign  of  the  universe  ; 
we  are  permitted  to  enjoy  confidential  con- 
verse with  Him,  before  the  blaze  of  whose 
uncreated  glory,  not  merely  the  throned  mon- 
archs  of  the  earth,  but  even  the  throned 
principalities  and  powers  of  heaven,  are  but 
as  the  particles  of  shining  dust,  that  glitter 
in  the  sunbeam. 

By  prayer  we  have  access  to  that  Almighty 
Creator  and  Disposer  of  all,  who  could,  with 
infinite  ease,  give  us  ten  thousand  worlds  as 
our  portion,  if  He  saw  that  the  gift  would 
be  really  for  our  good ;  and,  were  that  too 
small,  could  with  equal  ease,  create  for  us 
ten  thousand  worlds  more,  and  bestow  them 
all  on  us,  as  a  token  of  His  love ;  and  yet, 
(surpassing  mystery  !)  had  He  done  all  this, 
would,  even  then,  have  done,  as  it  were,  no- 
thing for  us,  in  comparison  of  what  He  lia^ 
done,  in  testimony  of  His  love — for  He  gav- 
for  us.  His  own.  His  only  Son,  gave  Him, 
for  us,  to  death — even  the  death  of  the  cross ; 


24  MEDITATION    H. 

and,  oh  !  what  are  the  myriads  of  worlds,  in 
themselves,  or  in  the  eternal  Father's  sight, 
compared  with  His  own — His  well-beloved 
Son? 

Is  not  prayer,  as  a  medium  of  access  to, 
and  communion  with  such  a  God  a  privilege 
indeed  ' 

But  let  us  dwell  a  little  more  on  the  con- 
trast between  the  privilege  of  confidential 
and  constant  access  to  an  earthly  monarch, 
and  to  the  King  of  kings,  that  we  may  see 
how  the  former,  when  compared  with  the 
latter,  hath  no  glory,  by  reason  of  the  glory 
that  excelleth. 

How  powerless  is  all  earthly  power,  to 
alleviate  intense  anguish,  or  impart  satisfy- 
ing happiness  !  From  how  many  dangers 
would  that  earthly  monarch,  with  all  his  au- 
thority, be  unable  to  protect  us !  In  how 
many  difficulties,  with  all  his  wisdom  unable 
to  guide  us  !  In  how  many  afflictions,  with 
all  his  love,  unable  to  comfort  us  !  And  oh  ! 
what  mere  transient  flashes  of  joy,  at  best, 
could  his  smile  impart — flashes,  that  if  our 


Olf  THE  NATURE  OP  PRAYER.     25 

heart  were  desolated  by  sorrow,  would  pass 
over  it  like  gleams  of  lightning  over  a  de- 
sert, lighting  it  up  with  momentary  bright- 
ness, and  then  leaving  it  dark  and  dreary 
as  before — a  bleak,  and  desolated  desert  still ! 

Look  now  to  the  contrast  1  There  is  no 
difficulty,  in  which  God's  infallible  wisdom 
cannot  guide  us ;  no  danger,  in  which  His 
almighty  arm  cannot  defend  us ;  no  affliction, 
in  which  His  divine  consolations  cannot 
abundantly  comfort  us  ! 

Our  heart  may,  by  blighting  sorrow,  have 
been  made  a  very  wilderness,  but  His  pre- 
sence can  make  that  "  wilderness  rejoice  and 
blossom  as  the  rose  !"  His  favour  is  life  ; 
His  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life ;  His 
smile  of  love — oh  !  there  is  heaven's  fulness 
of  joy  in  that  smile.  It  fills  the  boundless 
realms  on  high  with  gladness  and  glory  ; 
and  kindles  in  the  breast  of  cherubim  and 
seraphim,  and  all  the  rejoicing  worshippers, 
around  the  throne,  such  rapturous  bliss,  as 
constrains  them   to   strike  all  their  golden 


3 


2G  MEDITATION    If. 

harps,  in  the  hallelujah-chorus  of  thanksgiv- 
ing and  praise. 

Alas !  is  it  not  strange,  that  when  we  are 
privileged,  if  believers,  to  enjoy  communion 
with  the  Being,  whose  smile  is  heaven  ;  and 
are  assured,  that  the  more  frequently  and 
fully  we  avail  ourselves  of  the  privilege  of 
constant  and  confidential  converse  with  Him, 
He  is  the  more  pleased,  and  vouchsafes  to 
us  a  more  gracious  greeting,  and  imparts  to 
us  more  abundant  communications,  and  to- 
kens of  His  favour  ;  is  it  not,  I  say,  surpass- 
ingly strange,  and  sad  as  it  is  strange,  that 
we  show  ourselves  so  insensible  of,  and  un- 
grateful for,  the  privilege — that  the  only  use 
we  too  often  make  of  it,  is  to  come  before 
our  God  with  reluctance  and  depart  with 
joy — as  if  released  from  a  painful  interview 
with  One,  we  rather  feared  to  incense  than 
loved  to  approach. 

But  how  glaring  this  inconsistency,  when 
we  consider  what  reason  there  is  to  regard, 

3.  Prayer  as  a  pleasure. 

Surely  the  heart  of  a  child  of  God  must 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.      27 

be  deplorably  out  of  tune,  when  it  does  not 
feel  that  prayer  is  indeed  a  pleasure — the 
purest,  sublimest,  sweetest  pleasure.  Is  it  a 
pleasure  to  converse  with  the  wise,  the 
good,  the  excellent  of  the  earth  ?  And  must 
it  not  be  an  immeasurably  more  exalted 
pleasure,  to  converse  with  the  Fountain  of 
all  wisdom,  goodness,  and  excellence  !  Is  it 
sweet  to  hold  communion  with  the  saints,  in 
whom  we  discover  some  faint  traces  of  the 
divine  image  ?  Oh  !  then,  how  much  sweeter 
to  hold  communion  with  the  King  of  saints, 
in  whom  all  divine  perfections,  in  concen- 
trated glory,  are  combined  !  Do  earthly 
friends  delight  to  converse  together  ?  and 
shall  not  he  who  is  privileged  to  regard 
himself  as  "  the  friend  of  God,"  delight  with 
joy  unspeakable,  to  converse  with  his  Heav- 
enly Friend !  What  so  sweet,  to  a  fond 
and  grateful  child,  as  the  society  of  a  be- 
loved and  venerated  parent?  And  shall 
the  child  of  God  find  the  society  of  his 
Heavenly  Father   less    sweet   to  his  soul ' 


So  MEDITATION    11. 

Does  not  gratitude  render  the  efforts  to  ex 
press  its  glowing  feelings  to  an  earthh 
benefactor,  a  source  of  the  purest  enjoyment? 
Then,  surely  the  psalmist  was  right,  when 
he  exclaimed — "  Oh !  praise  the  Lord,  for 
it  is  a  good  thing  to  sing  praises  unto  our 
God — yea  !  a  pleasant  and  joyful  thing  it  is 
to  be  thankful." 

And  even  in  those  parts  of  prayer,  that 
might  seem  only  painful,  there  is  a  pleasure, 
that  would  be  ill-exchanged  for  this  world's 
most  boasted  bliss.  In  the  bitterness  of  re- 
pentant sorrow  for  sin,  there  is  a  sweetness  ; 
in  the  agony  of  fervent  supplication  for 
pardon,  there  is  a  joy,  as  much  superior  to 
the  best  the  world  can  boast,  as  the  heavens 
are  higher  than  the  earth — 

The  broadest  smile  unfeeling  folly  wears, 

Less  pleasing  far  than  "  prayer's  repentant"  tears. 

Oh  !  what  a  happy,  heaven  fore-tasting 
life  might  the  children  of  God  enjoy  on 
earth,  if  they  would  live  a  hfe  of  prayer  ! 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.     29 

How  calm  might  they  be  in  the  midst  of 
the  wildest  storms.  How  joyful  in  the  midst 
of  the  deepest  tribulations.  How  composed 
and  cheerful,  while  all  around  was  agitation 
and  alarm — the  smile  of  heaven  sparkling 
round  their  path  the  peace  of  heaven  dwel- 
ling within  their  heart. 

They  say  that  travellers  in  Alpine  regions 
are  often  encompassed  with  a  clear  atmos- 
phere, and  cloudless  sunshine,  while  traver- 
sing the  summits  of  those  lofty  mountains, 
at  the  very  time  that  the  world  below  them 
is  all  wrapt  in  mists  and  darkness,  and 
thunder  clouds  are  bursting  at  their  feel. 
Even  thus  does  prayer  lift  the  believer  to  a 
loftier  and  serener  region,  far,  far  above  the 
clouds  and  storms,  that  darken  and  distract 
the  world  below.  In  that  region  of  purity 
and  peace,  the  atmosphere  is  clear  and 
calm ;  and  the  light  of  God's  countenance 
shines  brightly  on  the  believer's  soul,  while 
he  sees  the  thunder-clouds  of  earthly  care 
and  sorrow  rolHng  beneath  his  feet ;  thus 


3* 


30  MEDITATIOX   II. 

realizing   the   beautiful   illustration  of  the 
poet ; — 

*  As  some  tal.  cliff,  that  lifts  its  awful  form, 
Swells  from  the  vale,  and  midway  leaves  the  storm. 
Though  round  its  base  the  roUing  clouds  are  spread, 
Eternal  sunshine  settles  on  its  head !" 

4.  Prayer  is  the  divinely  appointed  means 
of  obtaining  all  the  promised  blessings,  need- 
ful for  our  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare. 
This  truth  must  be  so  manifest,  to  any  one 
at  all  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures,  that  it 
would  be  superfluous  to  multiply  quotations 
in  its  proof;  a  few,  however,  may  be  desi- 
rable, to  show  on  what  a  firm  scriptural 
basis  it  is  established.  The  lips  of  eternal 
truth  have  uttered  those  gracious  words, 
which  at  once  prove  the  indispensable 
necessity,  and  I  had  almost  said,  the  omnipo- 
tent efficacy,  of  prayer — 

"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and 
ye  shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened 
unto  you:  for  every  one  that  asketh,  re- 
oeiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth ;  and 
to  him  that  knocketh,  it  shall  be  opened  !*' 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.     31 

And,  mark,  what  a  blessed  assurance  fol- 
lows— "  If  ye,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give 
good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  good 
things,  give  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  them  that 
ask  Him  ?" 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  what- 
soever ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in  My  name, 
He  will  give  it  you.  Ask,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive, that  your  joy  may  be  full !" 

"Be  careful  for  nothing,"  says  St.  Paul, 
"  but  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion, with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God  !" 

And  again,  "Take  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God  ;  praying 
alwaysy  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in 
the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all 
perseverance  !" 

And  again,  "  Continue  in  prayer,  and 
watch  in  the  same,  with  thanksgiving."  And 
as  if  he  would  make  the  believer's  life  one 
uninterrupted  act  of  prayer,  he  says,  "  Pray 
without  ceasing." 


32  MEDITATION    II. 

How  solemn  is  St.  Peter's  admonition — 
"  The  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand ;  be  ye, 
therefore,  sober,  and  watch  unto  prayer  1" 

How  encouraging  the  advice  of  St.  James 
— "  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask 
of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally, 
and  upbraideth  not,  and  it  shall  be  given 
him  !" 

How  endearing  the  exhortation  of  St. 
Jude "  Ye  beloved,  building  up  your- 
selves on  your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  keep  yourselves  in  the  love 
of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life  !" 

How  gladdening  the  declaration  of  the 
beloved  disciple — "  This  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  Him,  that  if  we  ask  any  thing 
according  to  His  will,  he  heareth  us.  And  if 
we  know  that  he  hear  us,  whatsoever  we 
ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that 
we  desired  of  Him  !" 

Surely  this  consentaneous  attestation  of 
the  Divine  Founder  of  our  faith,  and  its  most 
illustrious  champions,  all  uniting,  as  with  one 


ON  THE  NATURE  OP  PRAYER.     33 

voice,  to  exhort  us  to  fervent  and  unwearied 
prayer,  must  be  abundantly  sufficient,  as  far 
as  scriptural  testimony  can  suffice,  to  con- 
vince us  of  the  paramount  importance,  and 
promised  efficacy,  of  this  divinely-appointed 
means  of  obtaining  all  the  precious  blessings 
of  the  everlasting  covenant. 

It  is  not,  (oh,  they  know  nothing  of  the 
character  of  God,  who  think  it  is,)  that  our 
heavenly  Father  is  unwilling  to  bestow  these 
blessings  on  the  children  of  His  love,  and 
requires  His  reluctance  to  be  overcome  by 
their  importunate  supplications.  No — no — 
as  one  of  our  collects  so  beautifully  expres- 
ses it — "  He  is  more  ready  to  hear,  than  we 
to  pray,  and  is  wont  to  give  more — immea- 
surably more — than  we  either  desire  or  de- 
serve." But,  still,  (and  it  is  in  the  very  ten- 
derness of  His  love,  no  less  than  the  exercise 
of  His  sovereignty,)  after  having  spoken  of 
those  very  blessings  which  He  is  ready,  and 
rejoices,  with  the  freest  and  most  munificent 
liberality  to  bestow,  He  subjoins  those  em- 
phatic words — 


34  MEDITATION   H. 

"  Yet  for  all  these  things  will  I  be  inquired 
of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord." 

And  why  will  He  be  thus  inquired  of  for 
these  things  ?  Not  surely,  that  any  unkind 
reluctance  in  Him,  as  our  benefactor,  to  be- 
stow, but  that  all  proud  reluctance  in  us,  to 
sue,  as  beggars  for  these  blessings,  may  be 
overcome.  Not  to  teach  God  what  He 
already  knows,  or  remind  Him  of  what  He 
always  remembers ;  but  to  imprint  on  our 
memories  and  our  hearts  the  lesson  we  are 
so  stupidly  slow  to  learn, so  sadly  prone  to  for- 
get, even  that  we  are  as  absolutely  dependent 
on  God  for  every  breath  of  our  spiritual,  as 
of  our  natural  life  ;  and  as  utterly  unable  to 
sustain  the  one  as  the  other,  for  a  single 
moment  by  our  own  strength. 

Seeing,  tucn,  inat  oar  strength  consists  in 
a  sense  of  our  weakness,  our  wisdom  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  foolishness,  and  our  safety 
in  the  consciousness  of  our  danger,  is  not 
God  as  much  influenced  by  a  tender  regard 
to  our  security  and  happiness,  as  by  a  jeal- 
ous regard  to  His   own  honour  and  glory. 


ON    THE    NATURE    OF    PRAYER.  35 

when  He  suspends  the  bestowment  of  His 
best  blessings  on  the  prayer  of  faith ;  and 
thus  incessantly  reminds  us,  of  what  it  is  our 
happiest  recollection  to  remember,  that  our 
helplessness  can  alone  be  upheld  by  the 
almighty  arm  of  God ;  and  our  ignorance 
alone  instructed  by  the  infallible  wisdom  of 
God  ;  and  our  wants  alone  supplied  by  the 
infinite  sufficiency  of  God  :  and.  in  a  word, 
that  all  our  emptiness  can  alone  be  filled  with 
all  the  fulness  of  God. 

May  not  this  convince  us,  that  it  is  ths 
very  overflowing  of  God's  love,  which 
prompts  Him  to  hold  up,  before  the  eye  of 
faith,  every  precious  blessing  in  His  power 
to  bestow,  with  that  most  gracious  inscrip- 
tion written  upon  each — "  Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  given  unto  you  !" 

Assuredly  this  is  no  hard  condition — no 
unreasonable  demand.  If  God's  best  bles- 
sings are  to  be  had,  on  terms  so  easy  as  ask- 
ing for  them,  how  utterly  inexcusable  must 
His  children  be,  if,  by  neglect  of  such  a  gra 
cious  arrangement,  they  remain  in  want  of 


36  MEDITATION    II. 

a  single  spiritual  blessing,  which  God's  bounty 
can  bestow,  or  their  necessities  require? 
And  yet,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  to  the 
neglect  of  this  most  gracious  arrangement, 
more  than  to  any  other  cause,  is  it  to  be  at- 
tributed, that  amidst  the  superabundant 
spiritual  provisions  in  our  heavenly  Father's 
house — the  bread  enough,  and  to  spare,  for 
all  His  children,  so  many  of  them  starve  in 
the  midst  of  plenty,  and  continue  from  day 
to  day,  as  to  their  spiritual  condition,  like  the 
lean  kine  in  Pharaoh's  dream,  emaciated, 
famishing,  and  ready  to  perish. 

"  Open  thy  mouth  wide  and  I  will  fill  it," 
saith  a  bountiful  God ;  but  His  careless  or 
distrustful  children  either  neglect  or  fear  to 
obey  the  divine  command.  What  wonder 
they  are  not  filled  with  spiritual  blessings  ? 
How  simple,  yet  how  strange  and  sad,  the 
solution  of  their  spiritual  poverty  and  desti- 
tution— "  They  have  not,  because  they  ask 
not ;"  or  if  they  ask  at  all,  ask  amiss — ask, 
80  coldly,  so  carelessly,  as  to  solicit  the  re- 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.      37 

fusal,  to  compel  the  denial,  of  their  prayers- 
Look  now  at  the  results — 

Why,  if  we  are  indeed  believers,  in  the 
scriptural  sense,  why  are  our  corruptions  so 
strong  and  flourishing,  our  graces  so  weak 
and  languishing?  Why  does  sin  so  often 
seduce,  and  temptations  so  easily  triumph 
over  us?  Why  has  our  faith  so  Httle  of 
that  realizing  character,  which  substantiates 
things  hoped  for,  and  embodies  things  un- 
seen :  flashing  the  light  of  eternity  on  the 
objects  of  time  and  sense,  and  thus  exhibiting 
them  in  their  comparative  nothingness — 
their  real  insignificance,  unless  as  viewed  in 
their  connection  with  eternal  things  ?  Why 
is  our  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  so  often, 
at  best,  but  as  the  moonlight  of  a  frosty 
night — clear,  but  cold,  very  cold  ;  instead 
of  resembling  the  cheering,  warming,  glad- 
dening, as  well  as  brightening  radiance  of 
the  summer  sun  ?  Why  does  our  professed 
love  to  the  Saviour  produce  so  little  self- 
denial  or  sacrifice  for  His  sake,  so  little  de- 
•'otedn^^ss  to  His  service  ;  and  yet  still  le«F 
4 


3^  MEDITATION    II. 

conformit}'  to  His  example  ?  Why  have 
we  so  Httle,  if  any  thing,  of  the  mind  and 
temper  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus?  Why  do 
we  search  the  Scriptures,  and  attend  all  the 
:>rdinances  of  divine  worship,  and  run  from 
lecture  to  lecture,  and  sermon  to  sermon, 
yea,  and  even  approach  the  sacramental 
table,  to  commemorate  the  stupendous,  self- 
sacrificing  love  of  the  Redeemer,  month 
after  month,  with  so  little  profit — so  little 
visible  growth  in  grace,  or  progress  in  holi- 
ness ?  Why,  in  a  word,  is  there  so  little  of 
separation  from  the  spirit,  as  well  as  the 
society,  of  the  world  :  so  little  of  the  life  of 
God  in  our  souls,  or  the  love  of  God  in  our 
hearts,  or  the  peace  of  God  in  our  bosoms, 
or  the  glory  of  God  in  our  lives  ? 

To  all  this  I  answer — chiefly  because  we 
are  so  little  in  prayer — cordial,  humble,  fer- 
vent, persevering  prayer.  Because  we  talk 
so  much  about  God  in  public,  but  so  little 
with  God  in  private ;  because  we  are  so 
nuch  more  everywhere,  than  in  our  closets; 
and  in  every  exercise  than  in  devotion ;  and 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.      39 

in  every  attitude  than  on  our  knees  ;  and 
thus,  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  not 
being  abundantly  vouchsafed,  because  not 
ferveniiy  implored,  a  withering  blight  comes 
over  all  our  doings,  and  we  read,  and  hear, 
and  talk,  and  labour,  so  almost,  if  not  alto- 
gether, in  vain. 

Alas !  what  a  melancholy  inconsistency 
there  is  between  our  creed,  and  our  conduct 
— our  principles,  and  our  practice  I 

We  unhesitatingly  admit,  what  Scripture 
unequivocally  declares,  that  without  the 
divine  teaching  and  influence  of  th^  Holy 
Spirit,  we  cannot  profitably  study  a  single 
verse,  cannot  savingly  understand  a  single 
doctrine,  or  comfortably  appropriate  a  single 
promise,  of  the  word  of  God  ;  that  without 
the  almighty  aid  of  this  blessed  Spirit,  we 
cannot  conquer  one  wrong  habit,  crucify 
one  sinful  lust,  subdue  one  wayward  temper, 
or  even  check  one  evil,  or  cherish  one  good 
thought — yea !  that  in  all  that  is  spiritual, 
holy,  and    glorifying  to   God,  without  the 


40  MEDITATION    II 

inspiration  and  influences  of  ihe  Spirit  of 
grace,  we  can  absolutely  do  nothing. 

We  admit  all  this,  but  how  do  we  act  ? 
Is  it  not,  as  if  we  were  sufficient  of  ourselves 
for  all  these  things  ?  as  if  all  our  fresh  springs 
were  in  ourselves,  and  not  in  God?  For 
do  we  not  either  neglect  to  ask  for  the  en- 
lightening, directing,  strengthening,  sancti- 
fying and  comforting  influences  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  or  ask  for  them  in  such  a  manner, 
as  practically  proves,  either  that  we  are 
very  indifferent  about  the  growth  of  our 
spiritual  graces,  or  do  not  cordially  believe, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit's  influences  are  indis- 
pensable for  promoting  that  growth  ? 

Do  we  not  too  often  ask  for  them,  if  at 
all,  in  a  manner,  whose  very  look  and  tone 
are  stamped  with  such  utter  apathy,  as  to 
the  result  of  our  supplication,  that  if  a  crimi- 
nal were  to  sue  for  pardon  in  the  same 
manner,  his  offended  sovereign  would  spurn 
him,  in  just  indignation,  from  his  presence  : 
if  a  beggar  were  in  such  a  manner  to  ask  us 


ON  THE  NATURE  OP  PRAYER.      41 

for  alms,  we  would  turn  him  away,  in  well- 
merited  displeasure,  from  our  doors. 

And  why  is  God  to  be  expected  to  lend  a 
gracious  ear  to  a  style  of  supplication,  that 
would  ensure  only  deserved  repulse  and  re- 
buke from  a  fellow-worm  ?  Were  the 
Almighty  to  bestow  His  most  precious  gifts 
— the  out-pourings  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  in 
answer  to  such  prayers,  would  it  not  imply, 
that  He  valued  those  gifts  as  little  as  we 
seem  to  do,  since  He  would  consent  to  give 
them  to  supplications,  so  heartless  and  so 
hurried,  that  they  served  only  to  mark  how 
lightly  the  suppliant  valued  how  little  he 
cared  for  what  he  asked. 

When  I  say  hurried,  I  do  not  principally 
allude  to  the  length  of  our  prayers — this 
must  vary  according  to  circumstances  ;  and 
no  fixed  or  unalterable  rule  can  belaid  down. 
We  must  not  forget  that  the  best  prayer  be- 
yond all  competition,  that  ever  was  com- 
posed, is  a  very  short  one ;  but  we  should 
equally  remember  that  He  who  composed) 


4* 


42  MEDITATION    II. 

k,  often,  while  on  earth,  spent  whole  nights 
in  prayer. 

Nor  do  I,  by  the  word  heartless,  princi- 
pally allude  to  the  intensity  and  fervour  of 
feeling.  This  may  depend  much  on  consti- 
tutional temperament,  and  may  therefore 
be  different  in  different  persons,  and  even 
in  the  same  person  at  different  times-- 
changing  with  the  changes  of  the  health  or 
the  atmosphere — varying  with  the  variations 
of  the  weather — or  fluctuating  with  the 
fluctuations  of  the  pulse. 

I  would  not  therefore,  make  the  rising  or 
falling  of  the  thermometer  of  ardent  feeling, 
the  standard  by  which  to  judge  of  the 
spirituality  of  our  devotions.  I  speak  rather 
of  that  soul- felt  sincerity,  that  honest  hearti- 
iness  in  supplication,  which  is  the  genuine 
ilanguage  of  conscious  want  a;nd  cordial  de- 
sire, prompted  by  a  just  sense  of  the  inesti- 
mable value  of  the  blessings  we  implore,  and 
the  deep  urgency  of  our  need  of  them, 
springing  from  the  conviction,  that  if  we  do 
not  obtain  them,  "  it  had  been  good  for  us 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER.      43 

we  had  never  been  born."  I  speak  of  a 
heart-breathed  earnestness,  which  would 
assimilate  our  feelings,  (to  reverse  our  for- 
mer illustration,)  to  those  of  a  sentenced 
criminal,  pleading  for  the  pardon,  which  if 
not  granted,  he  must  die  a  dreadful  death — 
those  of  a  starving  beggar,  supplicating  the 
alms,  which  if  refused,  he  must  perish.  I 
speak,  in  fine,  of  such  a  feeling  as  animated 
the  wrestling  Jacob  when  he  exclaimed,  "  I 
will  not  let  Thee  go,  except  Thou  bless  me  ;" 
and  the  pleading  Abraham,  when  he  said 
for  the  sixth  time,  "  Oh  !  let  not  the  Lord 
be  angry,  and  I  will  speak  yet  but  this  once." 
Such  a  feeling  as  inspired  the  great  lawgiver 
of  Israel,  when,  after  having  received  the 
promise  of  God's  presence,  in  a  holy  ardour, 
he  cried  out,  "  I  beseech  Thee,  show  me 
Thy  ^Zory."  Such  as  seemed  to  be  the  life- 
blood  of  the  royal  psalmist's  devotions,  and, 
like  a  pervading  soul,  breathes  through,  and 
animates  the  whole  body  of  the  Psalms.  I 
speak  of  such  a  feeling  as  Ezra  felt,  when, 
"  at  the  evening  sacrifice  he  arose,  and  having 


44  MEDITATION    II. 

rent  his  garments  and  his  mantle,  he  fell 
upon  his  knees,  and  spread  out  his  hands 
unto  the  Lord  ;"  or  Hezekiah,  when  he 
spread  Sennacherib's  letter  before  the  Lord, 
and  prayed  unto  his  God  :  or  Daniel,  when 
**  he  set  his  face  unto  the  Lord  God,  to  seek 
by  prayer  and  supplications,  with  fasting, 
and  sackcloth,  and  ashes,  and  prayed  unto 
the  Lord  his  God."  I  speak  of  such  a  feel- 
ing as  constrained  blind  Bartimeus,  when 
they  urged  him  to  hold  his  peace,  to  cry  out 
the  more  earnestly — "  Jesus,  thou  Son  of 
David,  have  mercy  on  me  :"  and  the  noble- 
man, when  our  Lord  asked  him  if  he  be- 
lieved, so  as  to  ensure  the  recovery  of  his 
beloved  child,  to  answer  with  tears — "  Lord 
I  believe,  help  thou  mine  unbelief;"  and  the 
Canaanitish  woman  to  persevere  in  her 
petitions,  amidst  the  most  discouraging  re- 
bukes, with  an  unconquerable  importunity 
which  drew  from  the  Saviour's  lips  that 
glorious  commendation  of  her  faith.  I  con- 
tend for  the  necessity  of  such  a  feeling  in 
player,  as  burst  fro'n  the  lips  of  the  sinking 


ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER      45 

Peter,  when  he  exclaimed — "  Lord  save  me, 
I  perish  ;"  and  from  the  heart  of  St.  Paul, 
when  tormented  with  the  thorn  in  the  flesh, 
he  thrice  besought  the  Lord,  that  it  might 
depart  from  him  ;  but  above  all,  such  as 
glowed  in  the  bosom  of  the  Son  of  God 
Himself,  "when,  being  in  an  agony,  He 
prayed  more  earnestly ;  and  in  the  anguish 
of  His  soul,  offered  up  prayers  and  suppli- 
cations, with  strong  crying  and  tears." 

Without  such  a  feehng,  in  its  sincerity,  if 
not  its  strength — its  essence,  if  not  its  energy, 
oflTering  up  a  form  of  words,  however  evan- 
gelical in  substance,  or  eloquent  in  expres- 
sion, is  no  more  prayer,  than  a  statue,  how- 
ever beautifully  sculptured,  is  a  man. 

Such  a  heartless  form  of  words  is  a  mere 
carcass,  not  a  living  sacrifice  to  the  living 
God ;  for  as  the  body,  without  the  soul,  is 
dead,  so  is  a  form  of  worship,  without  the 
spu'it,  dead  also  ;  and  the  oflering  thereof  is 
an  offence  in  the  sight  of  Him  with  whom 
we  have  to  do.  It  is  a  mockery  of  the  Al- 
mighty, as  if  He  were  such  a  one  as  our- 


46      ON  THE  NATURE  OF  PRAYER. 

selves,  and  could  be  imposed  on  by  the  mere 
service  of  the  knee  and  the  lip,  unaccom- 
panied by  the  homage  of  the  heart.  It  is  an 
utter  waste  of  breath,  a  sinful  expenditure 
of  time  ;  a  cheat  on  our  own  souls — a  libel 
on  devotion — a  gratification  to  Satan — an 
insult  to  God. 


MEDITATION  III. 


A  BEFLECTION  AND  A  CAUTION  ON  THE  SUBJECT 
OF  PRAYER. 

"Oh!  Thou  that  hearest  prayer,  unto  Thee  shall  all 
fic&h  come." — Ps.  Ixv.  2. 

"  While  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear." — Isaiah, 
Ixv.  24. 

"We  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ 
the  Righteous,  who  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
us." — 1  John,  ii.  1. 

"  Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities:  for  we 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought;  but  the 
Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us,  with  groanings 
which  cannot  be  uttered. — Rom.  viii.  26. 

Before  I  proceed  to  consider  the  spirit  in 
which  prayer  should  be  offered  up,  I  would 
wish  to  suggest  a  reflection,  which  may  deep- 
en our  sense  of  the  dignity  of  this  exalted 
privilege  ;  and  to  correct  an  error,  which  I 
fear,  is  very  prevalent,  and  tends  much  to 
destroy,  or  diminish,  the  efficacy  of  prayer. 


48  MEDITATION    m. 

With  what  surpassing  grandeur  and  im- 
portance does  it  invest  prayer,  when  we 
view  it,  in  the  right  of  Scripture,  as  engag- 
ing the  jittention,  and  awakening  the  inter- 
est, of  the  everblessed  God  ;  calHng,  as  it 
were,  into  exercise,  the  most  glorious  and 
gracious  offices  and  operations  of  each  di- 
vine person  of  the  adorable  Trinity. 

When  we  reflect  upon  the  verses  prefixed 
to  this  meditation,  what  a  wondrous  scene 
is  presented  to  our  view,  as  going  on  in 
heaven,  while  the  believer,  in  the  secret  re- 
tirement of  his  closet,  on  his  knees,  pouring 
out  his  heart  in  prayer.  We  there  behold 
the  eternal  Father  engaged  in  listening,  with 
condescending  and  complacent  attention,  to 
the  supplications  of  his  beloved  child — the 
eternal  Son,  lifting  up,  on  his  behalf,  the  voice 
of  pleading  intercession,  before  the  throne — 
and  the  eternal  Spirit  helping  his  infirmities  ; 
teaching  him  both  what  to  pray  for,  and  how 
to  pray ;  drawing  up  his  desires  and  affec- 
tions heavenwards,  and  promoting  those 
rj^^o*   ^fpz-^cJoiis  supplications — even   those 


REFLECTIONS    ON   rilAYER.  49 

groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered,  but 
which  are  all  so  fully  understood,  and  gra- 
ciously answered,  by  him  who  searcheth  our 
hearts,  and  knoweth  the  mind  of  the  Spirit, 
because  He  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints 
according  to  the  will  of  God. 

Oh  !  did  we,  before  we  bent  our  knees  in 
supplication,  pierce,  with  the  eye  of  faith, 
the  veil  that  hides  from  mortal  sight  the 
sanctity  above,  and  there  behold  the  ever- 
lasting Father,  waiting  to  listen  to  us — His 
co-eternal,  well-beloved  Son,  waiting  to  in- 
tercede for  us — and  the  Holy  Spirit  waiting 
to  assist  us — surely  our  prayers  would  b^ 
something  very  different  from  the  cold,  heaiv 
less,  lifeless  lip-offering,  they  too  often  are  I 

Surely,  we  vi^ould  feel,  that  if  we  expected 
our  prayers  to  engage  the  attention,  and  ex- 
cite the  interest  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  they 
ought  to  engross  our  own.  Oh  I  surely  we 
would  feel,  that  it  was  meet,  right,  and  our 
bounden  duty,  that  all  our  faculties,  energies, 
and  affections,  our  whole  heart,  and  mind, 
and  soul,  and  strength,  should  be  employed 


60  MEDITATION    III. 

in  a  work,  which  we  hoped  would  employ  in 
the  exercise  of  their  most  gracious  offices, 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Let  us  reflect  a  little  further  upon  one  of 
these  offices — the  intercession  of  the  Son  of 
God. 

Can  we  look  up  into  heaven,  and  in  the 
vision  of  faith  see  Him,  who  there  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us,  end  forget 
that  it  is  He,  who  was  once  on  earth,  a  man 
of  sorrows,  for  our  sake  ?  Can  we  behold 
Him,  rising  up  to  intercede  for  us  before  the 
throne,  and  forget  that  this  is  He,  who  ago- 
nized for  us  in  Getlvsemane — who  died  for 
us  on  Calvary  ?  Can  we  gaze  on  the  face 
of  our  Advocate,  and  forget  how  that  face 
was  once,  for  us,  marred  more  than  any 
man's — bruised  with  buffetings,and  drenched 
in  tears?  Or  listen  to  His  voice,  while 
pleading  for  us,  before  the  mercy-seat  of  the 
sanctuary  above,  and  forget,  what  a  prayer 
of  anguish,  when  He  tabernacled  in  the  flesh, 
^or  our  sakes,  that  voice  poured  forth  in  the 


REFLECTION    ON    PRAYER.  5- 

garden — what  a  cry  of  anguish  it  lifted  up 
upon  the  cross  ? 

Does  it  not,  then,  well  become  us  to  re- 
member, before  we  kneel  down  to  pray,  that 
our  sins  had  so  separated  between  us  and 
our  God — had  raised  such  a  tremendous 
barrier,  to  prevent  the  ascent  of  our  prayers 
to  God,  or  the  descent  of  His  blessings  upon 
us,  that  had  not  the  Son  of  God  offered  up 
Himself  as  a  sacrifice,  in  our  stead,  and  thus 
opened  a  new  and  living  way  of  access  for 
our  spirits,  and  acceptance  for  our  services, 
before  the  throne  of  grace,  not  a  single  pray- 
er could  ever  have  ascended  from  us,  with 
acceptance,  before  that  throne  ;  not  a  single 
blessing  have  ever  descended  on  us  from 
above.  And  ought  we  not  to  love  and  prize 
prayer  more  than  we  do,  and  offer  it  up  with 
an  earnestness,  an  energy,  to  which  we  are 
too  much  strangers,  when  we  call  to  remem- 
brance all  that  our  dear  Redeemer  suffered, 
to  enable  Him  to  sustain  successfully  the  en- 
dearing office  of  our  ad\ocate  with  the  Fa- 
ther ;  all  He  endured  in  the  days  of  His  flesh 


52  MEDITATION    III. 

to  make  His  intercession  available  on  our 
behalf,  for  the  bestowment  of  the  most  pre- 
cious blessings  in  His  Father's  power  to  give. 

Could  we,  with  this  recollection  fresh  on 
our  hearts,  grudge  the  cost  of  our  time  and 
thoughts  to  that,  to  which  He  did  not  grudge 
the  cost  of  His  tears  and  blood  ^  And  must 
not  gratitude  to  our  gracious  Intercessor  com- 
bine with  the  deep  sense  of  our  own  need, 
and  the  inestimable  value  of  those  blessings 
we  implore,  to  give  life  to  our  devotions, 
and  wings  to  our  desires  ?  And  how  would 
such  prayers,  winged  at  once  with  strong  de- 
sire, and  fervent  gratitude,  fly  up  direct  to 
the  throne  of  God,  as  swift  and  successful 
messengers ;  and  return  as  swiftly,  laden 
with  blessings,  bringing  back  to  us  from 
a  covenant-keeping,  and  prayer-answering 
God,  the  most  encouraging  assurances  of 
His  love,  the  most  abundant  communications 
of  His  grace. 

I  would  now  advert  to  the  error  to  which 
I  have  alluded,  as  much  hindering  the  effi- 
cacy of  prayer. 


REFLECTION    ON    PRAYER.  5.? 

Too  many,  I  fear,  even  of  those  who  are 
Christians  in  more  than  nante,  seem  to  re- 
gard prayer,  as  the  discharge  of  a  distinct 
duty,  the  performance  of  a  specific  act, 
which,  when  once  finished,  need  be  no  more 
reflected  upon,  till  the  stated  period  for  its 
repetition  shall  recur.  Such  persons  seem  to 
think  that  the  devotional  feelings,  excited  and 
cherished  by  the  act  of  prayer,  are  to  termi- 
nate with  the  act,  to  be  suspended  at  its 
close,  as  having  then  fully  performed  their 
appointed  oflice.  They  appear  to  entertain 
the  opinion  that,  on  rising  up  from  their 
knees,  they  are  to  leave  the  spirit  of  devo- 
tion confined  to  their  closet,  to  remain  there 
till  they  come  back,  at  night,  to  resume 
converse  with  it ;  instead  of  taking  it  with 
them  into  the  scenes  in  which  they  are  about 
to  mingle,  as  their  "guide,  and  companion, 
and  familiar  friend  ;"  carrying  it  as  it  were, 
about  their  persons,  as  a  sacred  preservative 
from  the  world's  ensnaring  power — an  anti- 
dote to  its  poison — a  counter-charm  to  its 
spell  I     Let  me  not  be  mistaken  ;  T  am  fully 


54  MEDITATION    III. 

aware  that  stated  periods,  and  specific  acts 
of  prayer,  are  indispensably  necessary  ;  and 
they  who  profess  to  substitute  what  they 
call  a  general  devotional  habit,  for  particu- 
lar devotional  exercises — an  atmosphere  of 
piety,  for  acts  of  prayer,  on  the  plea  that  they 
can  pray  as  well,  while  walking  by  the  way, 
or  sitting  in  their  drawing-room,  as  when 
kneeling  in  their  closet,  will  soon  find  that 
they  can  indeed  pray  equally  well  at  all  times, 
and  in  all  places  ;  but  it  is  only  because  at  no 
time,  and  in  no  place,  do  they,  in  any  intel- 
ligible sense  of  the  word,  pray  at  all. 

It  is,  however,  equally  necessary  to  guard 
against  the  error,  which  would  at  all  ap- 
proximate our  devotions  to  the  popish  prac- 
tice of  repeating  so  many  words,  or  counting 
so  many  beads,  of  which  all  the  virtue  is 
supposed  to  consist  in  the  mere  act  itself — 
the  opus  operaium. 

Now,  this  is  the  most  dangerous  mistake. 
For  what  is  one  chief  design  of  prayer  ?  la 
it  not  to  set  in  motion  a  kind  of  moral,  or 
rather  spiritual,  machinery,  which  is  to  be 


REFLECTION     ON    PRAYER.  55 

kept  in  constant  exercise  throughout  the  day. 
drawing  up  the  heart  in  devout  aspirations 
to  God,  and  directing  all  our  inward  medita- 
tions, and  outward  movements,  to  His  glory? 
Is  it  not  to  bring  into  play  a  spiritual  train 
of  thoughts,  which  are  to  abide  with  us,  and 
feelings  which  are  to  animate  us,  and  mo- 
tives which  are  to  stimulate  us,  and  prin- 
ciples which  are  to  guide  us,  and  promises 
which  are  to  support  us,  and  prospects  which 
are  to  gladden  us,  amidst  all  the  toils,  and 
trials,  and  temptations  of  the  day? 

Is  it  not  to  buckle  on  afresh,  not  for  an 
hour's  parade,  but  for  the  day's  warfare,  that 
armour  of  God.  which  is  the  only  sure  de- 
fence of  the  soldier  of  the  cross,  and  which 
in  our  daily  conflict  with  sin  and  Satan,  can- 
not, with  safety,  be  for  one  moment  laid  aside  ? 

Is  it  not  to  embody  in  a  specific  form, 
for  the  purpose  of  strengthening  it,  that 
spirit  of  devotional  communion  with  God, 
which  is  indeed  the  very  atmosphere  that  a 
child  of  God  should  continually  breathe ; 
the  only  atmosphere,  in  which  all  the  spirit 


56  MEDITATION    III. 

tual  graces  of  the  Christian  chai'acter  can 
flourish,  or  even  live  ? 

This  habit  of  devotional  communion  with 
God,  maintained  throughout  the  day,  amidst 
all  its  business  and  bustle,  its  society  or  soli- 
tude, through  the  medium  of  devout  medita- 
tion— a  kind  of  holy  abstractedness  from 
surrounding  objects,  (in  which,  by  practice, 
we  become  proficients,)  and  frequent  ejacu- 
latory  breathings  of  love,  desire,  and  grati- 
tude towards  God,  it  is  a  special  purpose  of 
our  morning  sacrifice  of  prayer  and  praise 
to  promote,  and  render  abiding,  and  influen- 
tial ;  thus  realizing  what  is  intended  by  that 
beautifully  simple  expression,  concerning  the 
patriarchs  of  old — "  They  walked  with  God." 

This  it  is  which  David  meant  when  he  said 
— "  I  have  set  the  Lord  always  before  me  ; 
on  Thee,  O  my  God,  do  I  wait  all  the  day 
long."  This  it  is  which  St.  Paul  meant 
when  he  said — "  Continuing  instant  in  pray- 
er ;  praying  always  ;  pray  without  ceasing ; 
For  what  is  the  essence  of  prayer  ? 

Is  it  not  a  felt  and  acknowledged  sense  of 


REFLECTION     ON    PRAYER.  57 

our  absolute  dependence  on  God  ?  our  fer- 
vent desire  after  His  favour  ?  our  supreme 
delight  in  His  presence  ?  our  entire  devo- 
fedness  to  His  service  ?  And  is  there  any 
moment  of  our  lives,  when  these  feelings 
should  be  suspended?  Or  is  there  any 
lawful  occupation  or  enjoyment,  which,  if 
pursued  or  partaken  of  in  a  spirit  becoming 
a  child  of  God,  need  necessarily  interrupt 
this  species  of  mental  devotion — of  habitual 
prayer  ?  Should  not  the  soul  be  always  in 
the  attitude  of  devotion,  though  the  body 
cannot  ?  Should  not  the  spirit  be  prostrate 
in  reverential  adoration,  before  God,  even 
when  the  knees  are  unbent?  and  the  eye 
of  the  mind,  the  voice  of  the  heart,  be  con- 
tinually lifted  up  to  our  Father  in  heaven, 
even  while  we  are  unavoidably  engaged  in 
worldly  occupations,  and  worldly  cares  ? 

Is  God  to  be  remembered  only  in  our 
closets,  and  forgotten  in  the  world  ?  ac- 
knowledged and  adored  for  a  few  minutes, 
morning  and  evening,  and  practically  denied 
throughout  the  day  ? 


58  MEDITATION    III. 

Is  this  to  pray  always?  to  pray  without 
ceasing  ?  Now,  I  cannot  but  fear  that  many, 
of  whom,  in  the  main,  we  would  hope  well, 
do  not  take  the  view  of  prayer,  implied  by 
these  expressions  ;  and,  accordingly,  as  if 
the  feelings,  that  follow  in  the  train  of  faith- 
ful prayer,  were  not  merely  to  come,  but 
also  to  depart  with  it,  they  have  no  sooner 
finished  their  devotions,  than  they  at  once 
plunge  into  thoughts,  speculations,  and  plans, 
(I  will  not  suppose  positively  sinful,  but  still,) 
utterly  unconnected  with  the  holy  exercise  in 
which  they  have  just  been  engaged  ;  and  in 
these  they  remain  absorbed  throughout  the 
day  ;  and  yet  complain,  at  night,  of  the  cold- 
ness, wanderings,  and  deadness  of  their  devo- 
tions, and  seem  to  wonder  they  can  enjoy 
no  happy  intercourse  of  spirit,  no  sweet 
communion  of  heart,  with  their  God. 

Oh  I  had  they  regarded  their  morning 
sacrifice  but  as  the  commencement  of  a  di- 
vine communion,  to  be  carried  on  through- 
out the  day,  and  then  affectionately  and 
anxiously   desired,   amidst    all    the    various 


REFLECTION     ON    PRAYER.  59 

scenes  of  that  day,  whether  in  society  or 
solitude,  to  maintain  this  communion,  and 
thus  make  the  whole  day  a  kind  of  prepara- 
tive for  the  devotions  of  the  night,  how  dif- 
ferent would  they  find  the  result?  How 
sweetly  would  they  experience  the  truth  of 
the  poet's  declaration,  when  he  says — 

"  Prayer  ardent  opens  heaven,  lets  down  a  stream 
Of  glory,  on  the  consecrated  hour 
Of  man,  in  audience  with  the  Deity  !" 

To  convince  us  of  the  truth  of  this  assertion, 
we  may  derive  a  consideration  both  from  the 
character  of  the  human  mind,  and  from  the 
character  of  God. 

1.  From  the  character  of  the  human  mind. 
Though  God  acts  with  absolute  sovereignty 
in  the  dispensations  of  His  grace,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  with  perfect  freedom  in  the  im- 
partation  of  His  influences,  distributing  them 
to  every  man,  severally,  as  He  willeth,  in 
whatever  manner  and  measure  seemeth  best 
to  His  infinite  wisdom;  yet  does  God  exer- 
cise this  sovereignty,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
this  freedom,  agreeably  to  the  essential  prin- 


60  MEDITATION    III. 

ciples  of  that  mental  constitution,  which  has 
been  originally  established  by  the  Author 
of  our  frame.  And  to  trace  and  illustrate 
this  harmonious  agreement  between  the  dis- 
pensations of  divine  grace,  and  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  human  mind,  is  the  proper  pro- 
vince of  the  true  philosophy  of  Christianity  ; 
and  if  some  master-spirit,  highly  gifted  with 
intellectual  powers,  and  divinely  taught  in 
the  school  of  Christ,  would  undertake  this 
task,  he  would  not  merely  produce  a  deeply- 
interesting  work,  but  also  render  an  impor- 
tant service  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

Now,  it  is  altogether  at  variance  with 
every  thing  we  know  of  the  constitution  of 
our  minds,  to  expect  that,  if  we  have  allowed 
our  thoughts,  all  through  the  day,  to  wander 
in  aimless  and  unrestrained  vagrancy  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  we  shall  be  able,  in  a  mo- 
ment, as  if  by  some  magical  charm,  merely 
from  the  act  of  bending  our  knees,  to  call 
back  our  thoughts  from  their  wild  excursions, 
and  fix  them,  in  serious  and  devout  medita- 
tion on  the  *hinor«!  of  Go':! 


REFLECTION    ON    PRAYER.  61 

If,  throughout  the  day,  our  spirits  have 
been  immersed  in  utter  worldliness ;  (for  I 
will  not  suppose  the  awfully  anomalous  case, 
of  the  deliberate  indulgence  of  those  distinct- 
ly sinful  thoughts,  which  utterly  unfit  the 
spirit  for  communion  with  a  pure,  holy,  and 
loving  God ;)  if  our  feelings  have  been  ab- 
sorbed in  the  excitements  of  earthly  joy,  or 
earthly  sorrow  ;  if  our  minds  have  been  en- 
grossed by  the  trifles  of  time,  and  our  affec- 
tions glued,  with  idolatrous  cleaving  of  heart, 
to  the  objects  of  sense — yea,  even  to  the  most 
deservedly  beloved  of  earthly  objects :  then 
is  it  utterly  unreasonable  to  expect  that,  at 
the  recurrence  of  our  stated  hour  for  the  de- 
votions of  the  night,  our  spirits  will  be  able, 
all  at  once,  as  if  by  one  immense  bound,  to 
spring  up  into  the  regions  of  spirituality ;  or 
our  feelings  to  kindle  into  the  ardour  of  holy 
joy,  or  melt  into  the  tenderness  of  peniten- 
tial sorrow  ;  or  our  minds  to  rise  to  the  con- 
templations of  the  realities  of  eternity ;  or 
our  affections  to  break  away  from  the  en- 
tanglements of  visible  and  earthly  objects, 
6 


62  MEDITATION    HI. 

and  soar  upwards ;  to  fasten  themselves, 
with  holy  gratitude  and  delight,  on  the  things 
that  are  unseen  and  above,  where  Christ  sit- 
teth  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  we  have  heartily 
desired,  and  honestly  endeavoured,  in  divine 
strength,  to  maintain  habitual  communion 
with  God,  throughout  the  day  ;  if  we  have 
faithfully  followed  the  apostolical  injunction, 
to  "  watch  unto  prayer,  watching  thereunto 
with  all  perseverance" — keeping  our  spirits 
in  that  aptitude  for  prayer,  in  the  act,  which 
constitutes  an  atmosphere  of  prayer,  in  its 
essence ;  if  we  have  thus  striven  to  keep  a 
watchful  eye,  and  praying  heart,  fixed  on 
God,  amidst  all  the  avocations  in  which  we 
have  been  employed  ;  looking  up  to  Him 
continually,  amidst  difficulties,  for  guidance  ; 
and  dangers,  for  protection  ;  in  temptations 
for  strength  ;  and  in  trials  of  support ;  if  our 
enjoyments  have  but  made  us  draw  nearer 
to  Him  in  thankfulness,  and  our  sorrows  but 
taught  us  to  cling  closer  to  Him  for  consola- 
tion ;  if,  in  society,  we  have  borne  a  faithful 


REFLECTION    ON    PRAYER.  63 

and  affectionate  testimony  to  His  honour  ; 
and  in  solitude,  our  meditation  of  Him  has 
been  sweet ;  Oh !  can  we  for  a  moment 
doubt,  that  if  we  have  thus  desired  and  de- 
hghted  to  wait  on  Him,  and  walk  with  Him 
and  live  to  Him,  all  the  day  long,  when  the 
hour  for  approaching  Him  in  the  devotional 
exercises  of  the  closet  comes,  our  spirits  will 
be  enabled  to  enjoy,  with  freedom  and  de- 
light, that  communion  with  our  God,  unto 
which  we  have  been  looking,  and  hastening, 
and  preparing  for  its  anticipated  enjoyment, 
all  the  day.  If  our  souls  throughout  the  day, 
(like  a  chained  eagle,  which  still  keeps  its 
straining  eye  turned  upwards,  and  struggles, 
to  get  free,  that  it  may  soar  towards  the  sun,) 
have  been  strainingly  looking  upward,  and 
longing  to  mount  towards  heaven,  and  bask 
in  the  beams  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, 
will  they  not,  as  soon  as  the  heavy  chain  of 
the  day's  toilsome  labours  is  taken  off  at 
night,  the  moment  they  are  released  from 
their  shackles,  rejoicingly  mount  up,  free 
and  imfettered,  to  the  source  of  light  and 


64  MEDITATION    III. 

life  •  nor  cease  their  upward  flight,  till  they 
have  reached  the  throne,  and  rested  in  the 
bosom  of  their  God. 

We  shall  come  to  the  same  conclusion,  if 
we  consider, 

2.  The  character  of  God. 

"  Those  that  honour  me,"  saith  Jehovah, 
"I  will  honour!" 

This  is  the  secret  of  all  God's  dealings 
with  all  created  beings — the  principle  that 
guides  Him  in  the  moral  government  in  the 
universe — the  solution  of  all  his  mysterious 
dispens^ations — the  clue  to  the  history  of  all 
His  doings,  in  heaven,  earth,  and  hell. 

Now,  apply  this  principle,  which  Uke  that 
of  gravitation  in  the  natural,  pervades  and 
regulates  the  whole  moral  system,  in  the 
spiritual  world  ;  apply  to  the  subject  before 
us,  and  to  what  result  will  it  lead  ? 

Can  we  wonder,  with  this  principle  full 
before  our  view,  that  if  God  sees  that  we  so 
lightly  value  the  privilege  of  devotional 
communion  with  Him,  in  the  closet,  that  we 
will  not  practise  any  self-denial,  or  exercise 


REFLECTION    ON    PRAYER.  65 

any  watchfulness,  or  use  any  exertions 
throughout  the  day,  by  which  to  be  prepared 
and  made  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  this 
communion  at  night — yea  !  that  so  far  from 
this,  we  allow  our  time,  and  thoughts,  and 
feelings,  and  a/Fections,  to  be  engrossed,  if 
not  with  objects  glaringly  sinful,  yet  with 
such  idolatrous  attachment  to  things,  in 
themselves  lawful,  as  indisposes  the  soul  for 
relishing  the  purer  pleasures,  and  sublimer 
exercises  of  devotion  ;  how  can  we  wonder 
that  an  insulted  God,  jealous  of  His  glory, 
should  withhold  from  us  a  privilege,  the 
highest  He  can  confer,  but  which,  we  have 
shown  Him,  we  so  Httle  appreciate,  or  de- 
sire to  enjoy  ?  If  we  do  not  desire,  or  en- 
deavour to  live  in  the  light  of  God's  coun- 
tenance, amidst  the  occupations  of  the  day, 
can  we  complain,  if  He  refuses  to  lift  it  up 
upon  us,  in  our  devotions  at  night  ? 

But  if  He  sees  that  it  is  indeed  the  first — 

the  dearest  desire  of  our   heart,  wherever 

we  are,  to  be  with  God,  and  whatever  we 

are  doing,  to  do  it  to  His  glory  ;  amidst  all 

6* 


66  MEDITATION    III. 

our  employments  and  recreations,  to  realize 
the  sense  of  His  presence,  and  cherish  the 
remembrance  of  His  love  ;  and  that  it  is 
the  habitual  prayer,  which  is  silently  offer- 
ed by  our  spirits  whether  in  society  or 
solitude — "  Let  the  words  of  my  lips,  and 
the  meditations  of  my  heart,  be  always 
acceptable  in  Thy  sight,  O  Lord,  my 
strength  and  my  Redeemer ;"  if  He  sees 
that  we  keep  a  holy  guard,  a  constant  watch- 
fulness over  our  hearts,  that  we  may  not  be 
ensnared,  either  into  any  indulgence  in  un- 
lawful things,  or  even  such  an  immoderate  in- 
dulgence in  things  lawful,  as  would  unfit  us 
for  high  and  holy  converse  with  Himself; 
oh  !  will  He  not,  when  He  observes  how  we 
value  and  pant  after  communion  with  Him, 
meet  us  in  the  sacred  retirement  of  our  closets, 
in  all  the  fulness  of  His  love :  and  by  the 
sweetest  smiles  of  His  countenance,  and  the 
tenderest  whisperings  of  His  voice,  pour  into 
our  hearts  a  joy,  indeed  unspeakable,  and 
full  of  glory  ? 


ADDRESS  IV. 


ON  '"HE  UNION  OF  REVERENCE  AND  FREEDOM  IN 
PRAYER. 

"  Behold  a  throne  was  set  in  hep.ven,  and  One  sat  on 
I  he  throne,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round 
about  the  throne,  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thou- 
sand times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands,  and 
they  worship  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne. — Rev.  iv.  2; 
V.  11,  13." 

"  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven," — Matt.  vi.  9. 

We  now  come  to  consider  the  spirit,  in 
which  prayer  should  be  offered  up. 

In  the  observations  which  I  shall  make  on 
this  subject,  I  shall  address  myself  under  the 
character  of  a  Christian  friend  or  pastor, 
speaking  in  the  language  of  affectionate  ad- 
vice to  a  beloved  friend,  or  a  member  of  his 
flock,  whom  he  has  reason  to  regard  as 
scripturally  a  child  of  God.  I  mean  one, 
that,  by  divine  illumination  and  power  of 


68  ADDRESS    IV. 

the  Hcjy  Spirit,  has  been  taught  practically 
to  feel  and  confess  his  own  utter  sinfulness, 
and  the  Saviour's  all-sufficiency ;  to  repose, 
w^ith  a  simple,  unmixed,  and  peace,  if  not 
joy-imparting  confidence  in  that  Saviour's 
all-atoning  blood,  and  alone-justifying  right- 
eousness, for  acceptance  and  everlasting 
salvation ;  and  from  a  heaven-implanted  prin- 
ciple of  constraining  love,  to  desire  and  de- 
light to  walk,  with  humble  faithfulness,  in  a 
Redeemer's  footsteps,  and  to  live,  with  grate- 
ful devoutness,  to  a  Redeemer's  glory.  Such 
and  such  alone,  can  I  regard,  as  in  a  scrip- 
tural and  saving  sense,  a  child  of  God. 

To  such  I  would  say — The  spirit  in  which 
you  should  approach  your  reconciled  and 
covenant- God,  in  prayer,  is  one  compounded 
of  sentiments  and  feelings  almost  contradic 
tory,  yet  all  harmoniously  reconciled  ;  name- 
ly, the  profoundest  reverence  and  awe,  com- 
bined with  the  most  affectionate  freedom 
and  confidence,  towards  your  heavenly  Fa- 
ther; the  deepest  self-abasement,  and  self- 
despair,  combined  with  the  liveliest  trust  in 


REVERENCB    IN    PRAYER.  69 

an  all-sufficient  Saviour's  merits  and  media- 
tion ;  and  the  most  vigilant  guard  over  your 
own  heart  and  spirit,  combined  with  the 
most  implicit  dependence  on  the  divine 
teaching  and  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Thus  we  see  that,  as  each  divine  person 
of  the  adorable  Trinity  sustains  a  peculiar 
office  towards  us,  in  connection  with  our  de- 
votional applications  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
we  are  so  to  cherish  towards  each,  a  pecu- 
liar state  of  mind  and  feeling,  corresponding 
to  the  gracious  offices  which  they  sustain. 

1.  We  are  to  cherish  a  spirit  of  reveren- 
tial awe  towards  God,  when  approaching 
Him  in  prayer. 

How  many  rush  into  the  presence  of  the 
Almighty,  with  an  irreverent  thoughtlessness, 
a  disrespectful  precipitation,  with  which  they 
would  not  dare  to  hurry  into  the  presence 
of  an  earthly  king.  This  must  be  peculiarly 
offensive  to  the  Sovereign  Majesty  of  the 
King  of  Kings,  as  arguing  an  utter  forget- 
fulness  or  disregard,  both  of  who  He  is,  and 
w^at  we  are. 


70  ADDRESS    IT. 

If  those  angels  of  His  that  excel  in  strength 
and  holiness — those  glowing  serephim  that 
are  as  a  flame  of  fire,  burning  with  fervent 
love  and  zeal — if  the  most  exalted  principali- 
ties and  powers  of  heaven  veil  their .  facea 
before  Him  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and 
cast  their  crowns  at  the  foot  of  that  throne, 
in  lowliest  adoration,  oh,  with  what  profound- 
est  prostration  of  spirit,  and  deepest  solem- 
nity of  soul,  does  it  become  poor,  weak,  sin- 
ful worms  of  the  dust,  like  us,  to  come  into 
the  presence  of  the  infinitely  great  and  glo- 
rious God. 

Before,  then,  you  bend  your  knees  in  sup- 
plication, seek  to  have  your  spirit  suitably 
affected  by  the  consideration  of  the  ineffable 
majesty  of  the  being  you  are  about  to  ad- 
dress. 

Pause  and  reflect  that  you,  who  are  but 
sinful  dust  and  ashes,  are  going  to  speak 
with  Him,  before  whom  heaven's  highest 
archangels  presume  not,  but  with  veiled  faces, 
to  appear;  with  Him,  who  chargeth  even 


REVEREWCE    IN    PRAYER.  71 

.ose  angels  with  folly,  and  in  whose  sight 
the  very  heavens  are  not  clean. 

That  you  may  be  more  deeply  impressed 
»vith  holy  awe,  in  approaching  the  living 
God,  familiarize  your  mind  with  those  parts 
of  Scripture,  where  the  Divine  Majesty  is 
set  forth,  in  language  almost  worthy,  (if  lan- 
guage could  be,)  of  the  magnificent  theme. 

Make  such  verses  as  the  following,  the 
subject  of  your  frequent  and  devout  medi- 
tation. 

"  And  God  said  *  Let  there  be  light,  and 
"  there  was  light !'  Who  is  like  unto  Thee, 
"  oh  !  Lord,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in 
"  praises — doing  wonders  ?  See  now  that  I, 
"  even  I,  am  He !  and  there  is  no  God  with  me ! 
"  I  kill  and  1  make  alive — I  wound  and  I  heal. 
*'  neither  is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of 
"my  hand — for  I  lift  up  my  hand  to  heaven 
*and  say,  *I  live  for  ever!'  Behold  the 
"  heaven  and  heaven  of  heavens,  cannot  con 
"  tain  Thee  !  Blessed  be  Thy  glorious  name  ' 
"which  is  exalted  above  all  blessing  ana 
"  praise.     Thou,  even  thou,  art  Lord  alone  1 


72  ADDRESS   IT. 

Thou  hast  made  heaven,  the  heaven  of  Ireav 
'*  ens,  with  all  their  host,  the  earth,  and  all 
"  things  that  are  therein,  the  seas  and  all  that 
"  is  therein — and  Thou  preservest  them  all, 
*'  and  the  host  of  heaven  w^orshippeth  Thee  ! 
"  The  Lord  reigneth  !  He  is  clothed  with 
"  majesty — the  Lord  is  clothed  with  strength, 
"  wherewith  He  hath  girded  Himself !  Thou 
"  art  from  everlasting  !  The  Lord  reigneth 
"  let  the  people  tremble  !  He  sitteth  be- 
"  tween  the  cherubim — let  the  earth  be  mov- 
"  ed  !  Oh !  Lord  my  God  !  Thou  art  very 
"  great.  Thou  art  clothed  with  majesty  and 
"  honour !  who  coverest  thyself  with  light, 
"  as  with  a  garment — who  stretches  out  the 
"  heavens  as  a  curtain — who  layeth  the  beams 
"  of  His  chambers  in  the  waters — who  mak- 
**eth  the  clouds  His  chariot,  who  walketh 

upon  the  wings  of  the  wind !  who  hath 
**  measured  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of  His 
"  hand,  and  meted  out  heaven  with  the  span 
*  — and  comprehended  the  dust  of  the  earth 
*in  a  measure — and  weighed  the  mountains 
"  in  scales — and  the  hills  in  a  balance.     Be- 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  73 

"  hold  !  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  buck- 
*'  et,  and  are  counted  as  the  small  dust  of 
"  the  balance — all  nations  before  Him  are 
"  as  nothing, — and  they  are  counted  to  Him 
"  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity !  It  is  He 
"  that  sitteth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth, 
"  and  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  as  grass- 
"  hoppers  ;  that  stretcheth  out  the  heavens 
"  as  a  curtain,  and  spreadeth  them  out  as  a 
"  tent  to  dwell  in,  even  the  High  and  Lofty 
"  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity  ;  whose  name 
"  is  Holy  !  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate, 
'*  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  who 
"only  hath  immortality,  dwelling  in  the  light 
"which  no  man  can  approach  unto,  whom 
"  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see.  Holy,  holy, 
"holy,  Lord  God  Almighty!  which  was,  and 
"  is,  and  is  to  come  !  great  and  marvellous 
"  are  Thy  works.  Lord  God  Almighty,  just 
"  and  true  are  Thy  ways,  Thou  King  of  saints ! 
"  who  shall  not  fear  Thee,  oh  !  Lord,  and 
"  glorify  Thy  name,  for  Thou  only  art  holy  ! 
"  Therefore,  blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom, 
"and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  power, 
7 


74  ADDRESS    IV. 

"  and  might,  be  unto  our  God,  for  ever  and 
"  ever !     Amen." 

Frequent  and  devout  meditation  on  those 
portions  of  the  word  of  God,  will  more 
deeply  affect  your  soul  with  an  awful  sense 
of  the  divine  majesty,  than  volumes  of  ab- 
stract speculation  about  the  divine  attri- 
butes. 

Before  you  approach  the  throne  of  God, 
in  prayer,  pause  also,  a  little,  to  reflect  on 
what  Scripture  has  revealed  to  us  of  that 
throne. 

"  I  saw,"  says  Isaiah,  "  the  Lord  sitting 
upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  His 
train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it,  stood  the 
seraphims  ;  and  one  cried  unto  another,  and 
said — Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts  ; 
the  whole  earth  is  full  of  His  glory  1" 

"  I  beheld,"  says  Daniel,  "  till  the  thrones 
were  cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  days  did 
sit,  whose  garment  was  white  as  snow,  and 
the  hair  of  His  head  like  pure  wool  .  His 
throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  His 
wheels  as  burning  fire.     A  fiery  stream  is- 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  75 

sued,  and  came  forth,  from  before  Ilim ; 
thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  Him, 
and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood 
before  Him  !" 

"I  was  in  the  spirit,"  says  St.  John,  in 
the  apocalyptic  vision,  "  and,  behold,  a  throne 
was  set  in  heaven  ;  and  One  sat  on  the 
throne,  and  out  of  the  throne  proceeded 
lightnings,  and  thunderings,  and  voices.  The 
four-and-twenty  elders  fall  down  before  Him 
that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  Him 
that  liveth  for  ever,  and  ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns  before  the  throne.  And  I  beheld, 
and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round 
about  the  throne,  and  the  number  of  them 
was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and 
thousands  of  thousands,  saying,  with  a  loud 
voice — Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain, 
to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
blessing.  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory, 
and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and 
ever !  Halleluiah  !  Halleluiah  !  Amen." 


76  ADDRESS    IV. 

Is  this  a  throne  for  a  sinner,  even  a  par- 
doned sinner,  to  approach,  with  irreverent 
carelessness,  or  unhallowed  familiarity  ? 

Shall  a  mortal  voice  mingle  with  those 
voices  round  the  throne,  and  not  tremble 
with  awe  ?  Shall  a  worm  of  the  dust  join 
with  such  worshippers,  and  in  such  worship, 
and  not  bow  down  in  the  deepest  humility 
— the  most  reverential  adoration  ? 

Does  God  humble  Himself,  even  when 
He  condescends  to  accept  the  homage  of 
heaven's  hierarchies — to  receive  the  worship 
of  the  seraphim — to  listen  to  the  halleluiahs  or 
the  spirits  round  the  throne  ?  Oh,  then  what 
infinite — what  unutterable  condescension  is 
it  in  Him,  to  accept  your  homage,  child  of 
corruption  and  sin — to  take  heed  to  your 
broken  lispings  of  prayer — to  listen  to  your 
stammering  songs  of  praise  ! 

Seek  to  be  deeply  impressed  with  this 
view  of  the  divine  condescension,  and  you 
will  thus  approach  the  throne  of  God,  in  the 
attitude  best  becoming  a  miserable  particle 
of  sinful  dust   and   ashes,  coming  to  hold 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  77 

communion   with   the   holy   and   Almighty 
God. 

2.  But,  however  profound  the  spirit  of 
reverential  awe  with  which  you  approach 
God,  (and  it  cannot  possibly  be  too  pro- 
found,) it  must  be  tempered,  and  softened, 
with  a  spirit  of  the  most  affectionate  free- 
dom— the  most  grateful  and  confiding  love. 

Remember  that,  in  approaching  God,  you 
approach  not  only  the  greatest  but  infinitely 
the  kindest,  tenderest,  best  of  Beings — that 
His  mercy  is  as  unbounded  as  His  majesty 
— His  goodness  as  unlimited  as  His  glory — 
yea,  that  His  goodness  is  pre-eminently  His 
glory — for  when  Moses  besought  of  Him — 
"  Show  me  Thy  glory"  "  I  will  make  all 
My  goodness  pass  before  thee  :"  saith  Jeho- 
vah ;  thus  teaching  us  that  we  are  to  regard, 
even  as  He  Himself  does,  His  goodness  as,, 
in  an  especial  sense^  His  glory. 

Remember  the  title  under  which  He  an- 
nounced Himself  to  Moses  when  He  passed 
by  before  His  highly-favoured  servant,  and 
proclaimed — "  The    Lord  !   the    Lord   Go(: 
7* 


78  ADDRESS    IV. 

merciful  and  gracious,  long  suffering,  and 
abundant  in  goodness  and  truth ;  keeping 
mercy  for  thousands;  forgiving  iniquity, 
transgression,  and  sin." 

Familiarize  yourself  with  those  beautiful 
psalms,  in  which  the  goodness  of  God  is  so 
touchingly  proclaimed  and  praised  ;  especial- 
ly that  most  exquisite  one,  which  I  would 
wish  to  be  engraven,  in  imperishable  charac- 
ters, by  the  Holy  Spirit,  on  every  believer's 
heart — the  103d  psalm. 

Oh  !  how  sweet,  how  exquisitely  sweet, 
those  words — "  The  Lord  is  merciful  and 
gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in 
mercy ;  He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our 
sins,  nor  rewarded  us  according  to  our  in- 
iquities :  for  as  the  heaven  is  high  above  the 
earth,  so  great  is  His  mercy  towards  them 
that  fear  Him.  Yea !  the  Lord  is  gracious 
and  full  of  compassion,  slow  to  anger,  and  of 
great  mercy ;  the  Lord  is  good  to  all ;  and 
His  tender  mercies  are  over  all  His  works ; 
yea  !  the  Lord  is  good,  and  His  mercy  is 
everlasting." 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  79 

"Who  is  a  God  like  unto  Thee,  that  par- 
doneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  trans- 
gression of  the  remnant  of  His  heritage  ; 
He  retaineth  not  His  anger  for  ever,  because 
He  dehghteth  in  mercy." 

Oh  !  is  it  not  sweet  to  see  every  possible 
variety  of  expression  used,  to  magnify  the 
mercy  of  our  God.  "  Merciful ;  plenteous 
in  mercy :  keeping  mercy  for  thousands ; 
delighting  in  mercy." 

Look  now  at  the  picture  drawn  of  this 
merciful  God,  by  Him  who  alone  knows 
Him  fully,  even  His  well-beloved  Son. 

Turn  to  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son, 
and  there  see  the  heart  of  the  Father  of  all 
mercies  thrown  open  to  your  view,  by  the 
hands  of  His  own  Son.  Oh  !  what  an  apo- 
calypse of  mercy  is   unveiled  in   that  one 


verse 


"  When  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  his 
father  saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and 
ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him." 

Blessed  be  God  for  that  verse  !  It  has  I 
believe,  spoken  peace  and  consolation  to  the 


80  ADDRESS    IV. 

hearts  of  thousands,  and  drawn  back  many 
and  many  a  wanderer  to  His  heavenly  Fa- 
ther's heart  and  home. 

In  truth,  it  exhibits  a  picture  of  the  divine 
character,  which  no  merely  human  hand 
could  ever  have  dared  to  draw.  What  joy 
to  remember,  by  whose  hand  it  has  been 
drawn  ! 

Then  turn  to  another  brief,  but  most 
beautiful,  delineation  of  the  character  of 
God,  which,  within  the  compass  of  three 
short  words,  comprises  the  substance  of 
thousands  of  volumes  on  the  subject — "  God 
is  love."     God  is  love. 

Oh !  do  you  not  feel,  even  while  repeating 
those  three  words,  as  if  a  voice  was  calling 
to  you  out  of  heaven,  to  draw  near  to  the 
mercy-seat  above,  with  cheerful  confidence  : 
for  over  the  throne  dost  thou  not  see,  as  it 
were,  these  words  inscribed  in  characters  of 
living  light—"  God  is  love  ?" 

Then  muse  on  the  apostle's  divine  com- 
mentary on  this  divine  text — "God  is  love, 
and  herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  81 

but  that  He  loved  us,  and  gave  His  Son  to 
be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins."  As  if  the 
apostle  had  said,  do  you  doubt  that  God  is 
love  ?  then,  look  at  the  cross  !  and  surely  you 
must  confess,  that  if  nowhere  else,  yet,  at 
least,  ^^  herein  is  love."  Love  whose  height 
is  so  unscaleable,  that  when  the  angels  at- 
tempt to  survey  its  summit,  they  find  it  is 
too  high  even  for  them  ;  love,  so  unfathom- 
ably  deep,  that  when  they  look  down  into 
it,  even  they,  in  wondering  awe,  cry  out — 
"  Oh  !  the  depth  !" 

Reflect,  in  what  characters  would  God 
have  written  His  love  for  you,  that  would 
have  induced  you  to  believe  that  He  loved 
you,  if  you  will  not  believe  Him,  when  He 
has  written  it  in  the  blood  of  His  own,  his 
only  Son. 

Before,  then,  you  lift  up  the  voice  of  sup- 
plication to  the  throne,  always  lift  lip  the 
eye  of  faith  to  the  cross,  that  you  may  draw 
nigh  to  God  in  the  full  assurance  of  trust  in 
His  love,  for  such  prayers  are  very  precious 
in  His  sight. 


82  ADDRESS    IV. 

No  supplications  ever  enter,  with  sucli 
gracious  acceptance,  into  His  ears,  as  those 
which  are  inspired  by  a  firm  and  full  confi- 
dence in  His  love,  as  manifested  in  the  gift 
of  His  well-beloved  Son. 

Having  thus  contemplated  the  general 
character  of  God.  under  this  endearing  as- 
pect, dwell  in  grateful  contemplation  on 
His  covenant-character,  in  His  relationship 
towards  yourself,  as  a  reconciled  and  loving 
Father,  in  Christ  Jesus. 

You  know  you  have  not  received  the  spirit 
of  bondage  unto  fear,  but  the  spirit  of  adop- 
tion, whereby  you  cry — "Abba,  Father." 
You  know  the  peculiar  title,  under  which 
your  gracious  Redeemer  and  Intercessor  has 
taught  you  to  approach  and  address  a  recon- 
ciled God  in  prayer,  is — "  Our  Father,  who  art 
in  heaven."  You  know  that  all  the  precious 
promises  of  the  everlasting  covenant  might 
be  summed  up  in  this  one — "  I,"  saith  the 
ever-blessed  God,  "  I  will  be  unto  thee  a 
Father." 

Oh  !  there  is  something  unspeakably  kind, 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  83 

and  tender,  and  encouraging,  in  the  blessed 
God  having  revealed  Himself  under  such  a 
character,  to  the  pardoned  and  purified  ob- 
jects of  His  love,  whom  He  brings  nigh  unto 
Himself  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 

Who  has  not  enjoyed  the  influences,  or 
felt  the  yearnings,  of  a  father's  love  ?  And 
whether  as  children,  we  have  experienced 
its  effects,  or  as  parents,  have  felt  its  power, 
or  from  the  union  of  both  characters,  have 
been  enabled  most  fully  to  understand,  what 
a  precious  and  powerful  principle  of  affec- 
tion it  is,  which  reigns  enthroned  in  a  father's 
heart,  we  must  surely,  know  enough,  to  know, 
that  the  blessed  God  could  not,  in  His  infi- 
nite condescension,  have  employed  any  image 
more  beautifully,  or  affectingly,  calculated 
to  enable  us  (as  far  as  what  is,  in  itself,  in- 
comprehensible, can  by  any  image  be  brought 
at  all  within  reach  of  our  comprehension,) 
to  comprehend  the  nature,  to  appreciate  the 
preciousness,  or  to  calculate  on  the  move- 
ments of  His  unbounded  love. 

That  one  word  "  Father,"  seems  to  make 


84  ADDRESS    IV. 

argument  useless,  and  assurances  superfluous, 
and  by  the  sweetest  and  strongest  of  all  de- 
monstrations, to  carry  irresistible  conviction 
to  the  understanding,  through  the  channel  of 
the  purest  and  most  powerful  affection  of 
the  heart.  The  only  direction  that  seems 
required  in  addition,  is  simply  this — after 
having  calculated  on  the  utmost  extent,  to 
which  the  greatest  love  of  an  earthly  father 
can  be  carried,  apply  the  sweet  "  how  much 
more^^  which  the  Saviour  has  suggested,  to 
all  your  thoughts,  desires,  and  expectations, 
connected  with  your  heavenly  Father's  love. 
Remember  that,  if  all  the  fatherly  love  which 
has  glowed  in  human  hearts,  from  Adam  to  the 
present  hour,  could  be  concentrated  together, 
it  would  be  no  more — yea,  immeasurably 
less,  when  compared  with  what  glows  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Eternal  Father,  towards  every 
child  of  His  family  of  grace,  than  a  single 
drop  of  water,  compared  with  all  the  water 
in  all  the  oceans  of  the  earth. 

When,  therefore,  you  are  about   to  ap- 
proach such  a  God  in  prayer,  recollect  that 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  85 

you  do  not  so  much  come,  as  a  subject,  be- 
fore a  sovereign,  to  do  him  homage,  (though 
this  too  is  meet  right,  and  your  bounden  du- 
ty,) but  rather  as  a  child  to  a  beloved  and 
venerated  Father,  to  throw  open  your  heart, 
before  Him,  without  any  reserve  or  conceal- 
ment, in  all  the  endearing  freedom  of  filial 
love. 

Seek  to  have  a  realizing  belief  of  this 
most  precious  truth,  with  all  the  gladdening 
and  consolatory  reflections  that  follow  in  its 
train,  deeply  impressed  on  your  heart  before 
you  kneel  down  to  pray.  Feel  assured  that 
God,  in  the  overflowing  fondness  of  His  fa- 
therly love,  really  deHghts  in  your  happiness, 
as  (if  I  may,  with  reverence,  say  so,)  identi- 
fied with  His  own.  Yes,  child  of  God,  you 
are  privileged  to  believe  that  God  so  loves 
you,  that  He  has  made  your  happiness  a  part 
of  His  own,  so  that  His  happiness  may,  in 
one  sense,  be  said  to  be  increased  by  yours. 

Is  there  something  in  this  you  are  afraid 
to  believe,  because  it  seems  too  condescend- 


d 


80  ADDRESS    IV. 

ing  in  the  great  God,  towards  a  worm  of 
the  dust  ? 

Alas  !  alas,  why  will  we  thus  measure  God's 
love  by  our  own?  Why  thus  degrade  it 
o  the  level  of  our  own  weak  and  worthless 
affections  ?  Why  forget  that,  as  His  thoughts 
are  not  as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  our 
ways,  so  neither  is  His  love  as  our  love ; 
but  a  love  like  Himself,  and  worthy  of  Him- 
self, infinite,  incomprehensible,  unchanged 
able,  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  ! 

Are  we  not  told  that  the  "  Lord  taketh 
pleasure  in  His  people — taketh  pleasure  in 
them  that  hope  in  His  mercy." 

Who  is  it  that  is  represented,  in  the  para- 
ble of  the  prodigal  son,  as  crying  out,  when 
his  long-lost  child  is  recovered,  and  folded 
in  his  fond  embrace — *'  Rejoice  with  me  1 
rejoice  with  me  !" 

Did  you  never  read  those  wonderful  words 
— *'  The  Lord  thy  God  in  the  midst  of  thee, 
is  mighty.  He  will  save — He  will  rejoice 
over  thee  with  joy — He  will  rest  in  His  love 
— He  will  joy  over  thee  with  singing  /'■ 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  87 

I  coDjure  you,  child  of  God,  honestly  and 
heartily  to  believe  all  this,  as  applied  indivi- 
dually to  yourself,  as  fully  as  if  it  was  writ- 
ten specially,  exclusively,  for  your  comfort 
and  happiness. 

Art  thou  still  incredulous,  oh !  thou  of  lit- 
tle faith  ?  Once  again,  then,  I  entreat  of 
you,  look  at  the  cross,  and  tell  me,  if  God 
did  not  love  you,  with  a  love  that  passeth  all 
understanding,  if  your  happiness  was  not  so 
dear  to  Him,  as  to  be  in  truth  identified  with 
His  own,  why,  oh  why,  did  He  give  His 
own  dear  Son  for  you  to  death — even  the 
death  of  the  cross  ? 

Gaze  then  upon  that  cross,  till  every  dis- 
trustful doubt  dissolves  away ;  and  such  an 
assured  belief  of  God's  love  towards  you  is 
awakened,  by  the  dying  agonies  of  Him  who 
hangs  upon  that  cross,  that  you  will  be  en- 
abled to  approach  the  throne  of  grace,  with 
a  full  confidence  that  the  Everlasting  Father 
is  ready  to  listen,  with  complacent  delight, 
to  the  voice  of  your  supplications ;  and  to 
bestow  on  you,  with  overflowing  liberality. 


88  ADDRESS    IV. 

the  precious  blessings  that  you  come  to  im- 
plore. Yea,  that  though,  at  the  moment, 
the  full  burst  of  heaven's  halleluiah  chorus, 
from  the  numbers  without  number,  of  rejoic- 
ing cherubim  and  seraphim  round  the  throne, 
may  be  sounding  in  his  ears,  and  the  fee- 
blest sigh  of  penitential  sorrow,  or  pleading 
supplication,  that  breaks  from  your  heart, 
will  be  heard  as  distinctly,  and  answered 
as  graciously,  by  Him,  as  if  there  was  silence 
in  heaven,  and  you  w^ere  the  only  crea- 
ture in  the  universe  addressing  Him  that  sit- 
teth  on  the  throne,  in  the  language  of  prayer 
and  praise  ! 

This  union  of  confiding  affection,  sobered 
and  solemnized  by  reverential  awe,  is  the 
very  spirit  towards  God  the  Father,  in  which 
you  should  approach  Him  in  devotional  com- 
munion. It  does  equal  homage  to  His  ma- 
jesty and  His  love.  It  combines  what  St. 
John  felt,  while  leaning  on  the  bosom  of 
His  beloved  Master,  at  the  last  supper,  with 
what  he  felt,  when,  in  tne  apocalyptic  vision, 
he  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead  I     It  unites  what 


REVERENCE    IN    PRAYER.  8d 

a  grateful  child  feels,  when  folded  in  a  fa- 
ther's arms,  with  what  the  adoring  seraph 
feels,  when  bending  before  the  Eternal's 
throne  1 


ADDRESS  V. 


ON  THE    UNION    OF    HUMILITY    AND   CONFIDENCE  IN 
PRAYER. 

"  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and 
of  all  the  truth  which  Thou  hast  showed  unto  Thy  ser- 
vant."— Gen.  xxxii.  10. 

"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." — Luke  xviii.  13. 

"  Having,  therefore,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  assurance  of  faith ;  and  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  to  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need."— Heb.  x.  19,  22 ;  iv.  16. 

The  Christian  scneme  is.  in  one  sense  a 
system  of  paradoxes,  in  which,  almost  op- 
posing doctrines  and  duties,  sentiments  and 
feelings,  are  blended  together,  in  such  nice 
proportions,  and  harmonious  union,  that,  like 
the  lights  and  shadows  in  a  picture,  by  their 
contrast,  they  give  increased  strength  of  ex- 


HUMILITY     IN    PRAYER.  91 

pression,  and  beauty  of  colouring  to  the 
whole. 

One  of  these  paradoxes  is  suggested  by 
the  second  combination  of  qualities  which 
we  specified  as  contributing  to  make  up  the 
essence  of  the  spirit  of  prayer — namely,  the 
union  of  the  deepest  sense  of  our  own  sinful- 
ness and  consequent  desert  of  eternal  con- 
demnation, with  the  strongest  assurance  of 
the  gracious  acceptance  of  our  prayers,  and 
the  bestowment,  in  answer  to  them,  of  the 
most  precious  blessings  of  grace  and  glory. 

Is  it  not  an  apparent  paradox,  though  per- 
fectly intelligible  to  the  heart  of  a  believer, 
and  the  very  foundation  and  fountain  of  all 
his  most  precious  hopes,  and  joys,  and  con- 
solations, that  the  deeper  his  conviction  that 
he  deserves  nothing  from  God  but  wrath, 
the  stronger  is  his  assurance,  that  he  shall 
receive  nothing  but  mercy — the  lower  he 
lies  in  the  depths  of  Christian  humility,  the 
higher  does  he  rise  in  the  elevation  of  Chris- 
tian hope — the  profounder  and  bitterer  his 
penitential  sorrow,  the  sublimer  and  sweeter 


92  ADDRESS    V. 

are  his  spiritual  joys — and  that  it  is  when  he 
most  fully  feels,  and  freely  confesses,  that  he 
is  entitled,  by  his  own  merits,  to  an  inherit- 
ance of  eternal  wrath  and  woe,  in  hell,  it  is 
then  he  most  fully  feels,  and  rejoicingly  re- 
members, that  there  are  merits,  through 
which  he  is  entitled  to  an  inheritance  in 
heaven,  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that 
fadeth  not  away. 

I  would  say,  then,  to  the  Christian  inquirer, 
who  asks,  in  what  spirit  shall  I  approach 
God  in  prayer  ? 

Pre-eminently  seek  to  come  before  your 
covenant-God  with  that  broken  and  contrite 
heart  which  He  has  so  graciously  assured 
you,  He  will  not  despise.  Come  in  the  spirit 
of  Jacob,  when  he  cried — "  I  am  not  worthy 
of  the  least  of  all  these  mercies,  and  of  all 
the  truth,  which  Thou  hast  showed  unto 
Thy  servant  ! "  Of  David,  when  he  poured 
forth  the  very  soul  of  penitential  sorrow, 
and  exclaimed — "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  oh  ! 
God,  according  to  Thy  loving-kindness,  ac- 
cording unto  the  njultltude  of  Thy  tendei 


HUMILITY     IN     PRAYER.  93 

mercies,  blot  out  my  transgressions ;  hide 
Thy  face  from  my  sms  and  blot  out  all  mine 
iniquities  ;  cast  me  not  away  from  Thy  pre- 
sence, and  take  not  Thy  Holy  Spirit  from 
me."'  Come  in  the  spirit  of  Manasseh,  when 
in  affliction  he  besought  the  Lord  his  God, 
and  humbled  himself  greatly  before  the  God 
of  his  fathers,  and  prayed  unto  Him ;  and 
He  was  entreated  of  him  and  heard  his  sup- 
plication. 

Approach  your  God  as  Ezra  did,  when, 
having  rent  his  garment,  he  fell  upon  his 
knees,  and  spread  out  his  hands  unto  the 
Lord  his  God  and  said — "  Oh !  my  God,  I 
am  ashamed,  and,  blush  to  lift  my  face  up  to 
Thee,  my  God;  for  our  iniquities  are  in- 
creased over  our  heads,  and  our  trespass  is 
grown  up  to  the  heavens." 

Let  your  inmost  soul  be  penetrated  with 
such  feelings  as  must  have  filled  the  bosom 
of  the  mourning  Daniel,  when  he  prayed  un- 
to the  Lord  his  God,  and  made  his  confes- 
sions, and  said,  "Oh!  Lord  to  us  belongeth 
confusion  of  face,  to  the  I^ord  our  God  be- 


94  ADDRESS    V. 

long  mercies  and  forgivenesses,  thougn  we 
have  rebelled  against  Him.  Neither  have 
we  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
to  walk  in  His  laws,  which  He  set  before 
us.  Now,  therefore,  oh  !  our  God,  hear  the 
prayer  of  Thy  servant,  for  we  do  not  pre- 
sent our  supplications  before  Thee,  for  our 
righteousness,  but  for  Thy  great  mercies. 
Oh!  Lord  hear!  oh!  Lord  forgive!  oh! 
Lord,  hearken,  and  do ;  defer  not,  for  Thine 
own  sake,  oh !  my  God !"  Oh  !  there  is  in- 
deed an  irresistible  efficacy  in  supplication, 
such  as  this,  when  it  embodies  the  spirit  of 
that  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  which  worketh 
repentance  unto  salvation ! 

Be  assured,  your  prayers  will  never  go  up 
to  heaven  more  acceptably,  as  a  sweet-smel- 
ling savour  before  God,  through  Him  who 
presents  them  before  the  throne,  than  when 
they  thus  rise  from  the  depths  of  an  humble, 
broken,  and  contrite  heart. 

You  remember  who  it  is,  that  has  told  us 
of  a  poor  publican,  who  stood  in  the  temple 
afar  off,  and  was  afraid  so  much  as  to  lift  up 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  95 

his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but.  smote  upon  his 
breast,  saying — "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner."  You  remember  who  it  is,  that 
speaks  in  terms  of  such  gracious  commenda- 
tion of  that  broken  hearted  prayer. 

You  know  who  has  said — "  He  that  hum- 
bleth  himself,  shall  be  exalted  ;  that  humility 
IS  the  only  path  to  preferment  in  His  king- 
dom ;  that  penitence  is  the  precursor  of 
glory  ;  and  that  blessed  are  they  that  mourn, 
with  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  for  they  shall  be 
comforted. 

You  cannot  have  forgotten  what  honour 
He  once  put  on  the  humiUty  which  flows 
from  a  penitential  sorrow  for  sin,  when,  in 
the  Pharisee's  house.  He  addressed  such  gra- 
cious words  of  encouragement  and  comfort 
to  that  poor  penitent  woman,  whose  attitude 
and  actions,  in  silent  eloquence,  so  touchingly 
proclaimed  the  deep  humility  of  her  soul, 
while  she  stood  at  the  Saviour's  feet  behind 
Him,  weeping,  and  washed  His  feet  with  her 
tears,  and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her 
head,  and  kissed  His  feet,  and  anointed  them 


96  ADDRESS    V. 

with  ointment !  Oh  !  look  on  this  affecting 
scene  !  listen  to  the  tender  language,  which 
our  blessed  Lord  addresses  to  this  weeping 
penitent — and  learn  how  He  loves  humility  ; 
and  with  what  peculiar  complacency  He 
delights  in  His  people,  when,  in  the  humbling 
sense  of  their  own  sinfulness,  they  feel  ut- 
terly unworthy  to  stand  before  Him,  and  in 
their  grateful  affection  towards  Him,  esteem 
it  their  highest  honour  and  happiness  to  lav- 
ish on  Him,  whatever  they  possess  most  pre- 
cious, in  testimony  of  their  deep  and  fervent 
love  ! 

But  in  truth,  to  bring  forward  Scripture 
to  prove  that  an  humble  spirit,  broken  and 
contrite  under  the  sense  of  sin,  is  the  es- 
sence of  that  spirit  in  which  we  should  ap- 
proach God  in  prayer,  would  be  to  quote 
more  than  half  the  Bible  ;  for  the  more  we 
study  that  blessed  book,  the  more  will  we 
learn,  from  almost  every  line,  that  humility 
is  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  a  sinner's  faith, 
and  a  sinner's  hopes — the  commencing  and 
crowning  grace — the  all  in  all  of  the  spirit  of 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  97 

Christianity.  The  foundations  of  the  whole 
Christian  superstructure  of  hope  and  hoH- 
ness,  are  laid  deep  in  humiUty  ;  the  building 
itself  is  a  beautiful  fabric  of  humility  :  and 
all  those  ornamental  decorations,  that  crown 
the  pillars  of  the  temple,  and  on  which,  even 
the  eye  of  God  Himself  looks  with  pleasure, 
are  all  the  emblems  of  humility. 

Oh  !  yes,  it  is  humility,  which  lays  the 
penitent  sinner  low,  in  trembling  thankful- 
ness, at  the  Saviour's  feet — humihty,  which 
presents  every  work  and  labour  of  love,  in 
low^ly  gratitude,  before  his  cross — humility, 
which  takes  the  blood-bought  crown,  and 
casts  it,  in  self-renouncing  adoration,  before 
His  throne.  And  the  higher,  through  eternal 
ages,  that  the  redeemed  spirit  will  rise  in  its 
ascent  of  glory,  the  deeper  will  be  the  pros- 
tration with  which  it  will  bend,  in  self-abas- 
ing humility,  before  that  throne. 

If,  then,  child  of  God,  you  would  offer  up 
your  sacrifice  of  prayer  and  praise  accept- 
ably, appear  in  the  presence  of  your  Heav- 
enly Father,  "  clothed  with  humility,  for  he 
9 


98  ADDRESS    V. 

resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble." 

I  do  not  here  mean  so  much,  the  self-abas- 
ing humility  of  conscious  weakness,  arising 
from  the  contemplation  of  the  original  cor- 
ruption of  our  fallen  nature,  as  the  self-ab- 
horring humility  of  conscious  guilt,  arising 
from  the  remembrance  of  your  own  actual 
unnumbered  and  aggravated  transgressions. 

I  speak  rather  of  penitential  sorrow  for 
your  own  offences,  than  meditation,  (how- 
ever, in  its  proper  place  profitable,)  on  Adam's 
sin. 

From  not  attending  to  this  distinction,  I 
fear  many  are  led  to  make  a  most  danger- 
ous use,  or  rather  abuse  of  the  scriptural 
doctrine  of  original  sin,  by  deriving  from  it 
an  excuse,  or,  at  least,  extenuation  of  their 
own.  They  seem  inclined  to  regard  their 
natural  depravity,  however  aggravated  by 
their  personal  transgressions,  rather  as  a 
misfortune  for  which  they  are  to  be  pitied, 
than  a  fault  for  which  they  are  to  be  blamed. 

Now,  it  must  be  confessed,  this  mysterious 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  99 

doctrine  of  original  sin,  (so  unequivocally 
declared  in  Scripture,  and  there  set  forth  as 
the  very  basis  of  the  whole  scheme  of  redemp- 
tion,) is  not  calculated,  nor  was  it  designed, 
to  produce  in  us  that  godly  sorrow  for  sin, 
which  worketh  repentance  unto  salvation. 

Its  scriptural  office  seems  to  be,  to  hum- 
ble us  under  such  a  deep,  penetrating  sense 
of  our  natural  corruption  and  helplessness, 
as  will  lead  us,  (from  feeling  our  urgent  need 
of  the  enlightening,  sustaining,  and  sanctify- 
ing influences  of  divine  grace,)  fervently  to 
supplicate,  and  continually  to  lean  upon,  the 
promised  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  when 
Scripture  would  excite  us  to  deep  and  self- 
loathing  repentance,  it  is  always  to  our  own 
personal  sins  it  directs  our  view. 

'Tis  true,  David  confesses  that  he  was 
shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  his  mother 
conceive  him ;  but  it  is  manifest,  that  what 
bowed  down  his  soul,  and  almost  broke  his 
heart,  was  the  remembrance  of  his  own  guilt; 
it  is  this  which  wrung  from  him  the  agoniz- 
ing supplication — "  Hide  thy  face  from  my 


100  ADDRESS   V. 

sins — ^blot  out  all  mine  iniquities — cast  me 
not  away  from  Thy  presence." 

I  cannot  but  fear  that  the  edge  of  godly 
sorrow  for  sin  is,  with  many  even  of  God's 
children,  blunted,  and  thus  their  humility 
rendered  less  deep,  their  repentance  less 
cordial,  and  their  sense  of  God's  patient  mer- 
cy, and  gratitude  for  His  pardoning  love, 
less  penetrating  and  profound,  by  their 
making  a  use  of  the  doctrine  of  original  sin, 
which  it  was  never  intended  to  answer; 
perverting  it,  (perhaps  almost  unconsciously.) 
into  a  ground  of  palliation  for  their  actual 
offences,  instead  of  being  led  by  it  (as  it  is 
God's  design  in  revealing  it,  that  they 
should,)  to  distrust  entirely  their  own  wis- 
dom, guidance,  and  strength,  and  confidingly 
and  constantly  to  look  up  for,  and  to  lean 
upon,  the  directing  guidance  and  upholding 
strength  of  divine  grace. 

Seek,  then,  to  have  such  a  piercing  and  af- 
fecting view  of  your  own  personal  transgres- 
sions, your  sins  of  omission  and  commission, 
the  innumerable  things  which  you  have  done, 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  101 

that  you  ought  not  to  have  done,  and  those 
which  you  have  left  undone,  that  you  ought 
to  have  done,  as  will  constrain  you  to  smite 
upon  your  breast,  crying — "  God  be  merci- 
ful to  me  a  sinner." 

If  you  indeed  desire  to  be  thus  deeply  im- 
pressed, beware  of  resting  in  those  generali- 
ties, in  mourning  over,  and  confessing  your 
sins,  which  produce  only  a  feeble,  cold,  and 
transitory  impression. 

Go  into  detail — descend  into  particulars — 
above  all,  descend  into  your  heart.  If  you 
would  really  make  humbling  work,  you  must 
make  heart  work  of  your  repentance.  Dwell 
especially  on  the  peculiar  aggravations  that 
have  attended  your  sins,  making  them,  in 
your  case,  exceeding  sinful.  If  they  have 
been  committed  against  peculiar  degrees  of 
knowledge,  light,  and  love  ;  after  repeated 
convictions,  warnings,  and  expostulations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  if  there  be  any  thing  in 
your  case  or  circumstances,  the  profession 
you  have  made,  or  the  station  you  occupy, 
which  has  rendered  your  sins  peculiarly 
9* 


102  ADDRESS    V. 

odious  and  inexcusable  in  you,  and  peculiarly 
offensive  and  dishonouring  to  God. 

Do  not  seek  to  palliate  your  guilt,  by  any 
excuse  or  extenuation ;  but  rather  desire  to 
feel  it  in  all  its  hatefulness,  and  confess  it  in 
all  its  enormity,  that  you  may  lie  as  low  as 
you  can  lie,  (short  of  despair,)  in  self-loath- 
ing shame  and  sorrow,  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross  ;  looking  up,  with  mingled  penitence 
and  gratitude  to  Him  whom  you  have  so 
deeply  pierced  ;  and  in  whose  blood  you 
read,  at  once,  the  greatness  of  your  guilt,  and 
the  assurance  of  your  pardon.  For  how 
great  must  be  your  guilt,  since  it  required 
the  blood  of  Him  who  was  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  to  be  shed  for  its  expiation ;  and 
how  firm  may  be  your  assurance  of  pardon, 
through  faith  in  that  blood,  since  such  an 
atonement  has  been  offered,  as  a  propitiation 
for  your  sins  !  Oh  !  then,  if  you  would  in- 
deed view  sin  in  its  true  light,  and  abhor 
yourself  as  you  ought,  for  your  transgres- 
sions, look  at  the  Cross — and  while  gratefully 
rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  eternal  glory,  reflect 


HUMILITY     IN    PRAYER.  103 

on  all  your  beloved  Saviour  had  to  suffer, 
in  order  lo  purchase  for  a  sinner,  such  as 
you  have  been,  not  merely  pardon,  but  even 
an  inheritance  of  glory,  incorruptible,  and 
undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away  ! 

Do  not  compare  yourself  with  others  ; 
you  know  how  abhorrent  to  God,  was  that 
proud  Pharisee's  professed  thanksgiving — 
**  God,  I  thank  Thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other 
men  are."  Or,  if  you  will  make  a  compari- 
son, let  it  be  with  those,  whose  superior  ho- 
liness, progress  in  the  divine  life,  zeal  for 
Christ's  glory,  visible  conformity  to  His 
character,  and  entire  devotedness  to  His  ser- 
vice, ought  to  crimson  your  cheek  with  the 
burning  blush  of  shame. 

There  is  a  comparison  indeed,  you  cannot 
too  often  make,  if  you  would  advance  either 
in  humility  or  holiness. 

Compare  what  you  are,  with  what  the 
standard  of  the  word  of  God  requires  you 
to  be  ;  with  what,  if  you  had  faithfully  fol- 
lowed your  Divine  Master's  instructions, 
you  might  have  been;  and  compare  what 


104  ADDRESS     V. 

you  have  done  for  the  Saviour,  with  what 
you  ought  to  have  done  for  Him. 

Believe  me,  if  you  carry  on  this  investiga- 
tion with  an  honest  desire  to  know  the 
whole  truth,  you  will  require  little  else,  as 
far  as  means  are  concerned,  to  fill  your  heart 
with  such  pangs  as  Peter  felt,  and  your  eyes 
with  such  tears  as  Peter  shed,  when,  hurry- 
ing from  the  presence  of  Jesus,  he  went 
forth,  and  wept  bitterly. 

Alas !  have  you  not,  too  often,  like  him, 
denied  your  Lord ;  appeared  ashamed  of 
Him,  in  the  presence  of  His  enemies  ;  main- 
tained a  guilty  silence,  when  His  religion 
was  ridiculed,  or  His  friends  reviled  !  What 
countless  opportunities  of  advancing  His 
glory  have  you,  through  sinful  fear,  shrunk 
from,  or  through  sinful  negligence,  overlook- 
ed '  How  basely  have  you  often  betrayed 
His  cause,  rather  than  brave  the  frown  of 
anger,  or  the  smile  of  scorn  !  How  often 
by  palpable  inconsistencies,  by  indulging  in 
feelings,  tempers,  words,  and  actions,  at  ut- 
ter variance  with  the  standai  <1  of  tl.o  gospel, 


HUMILITY   IN    PRAYER.  105 

and  the  charactei-  of  Christ,  have  you  brought 
suspicion  on  the  sincerity,  or  sanctifying 
tendency,  of  the  principles  you  profess  ;  and 
thus  brought  discredit  on  that  name  and 
cause,  for  whose  advancement  you  should 
gladly  (if  called  upon,)  drain  the  last  drop  of 
blood  that  fills  your  vems. 

And  when  you  reflect  that  during  all  this 
time,  while  you  have  been  thus  requiting 
His  love  with  such  shameful  ingratitude.  He 
has  been  continually  employed  in  watching 
over  you,  and  pleading  for  you,  and  obtain- 
ing for  you,  from  the  Father,  all  the  blessings 
which,  while  on  earth.  He  purchased  for 
you,  with  His  blood,  oh  !  can  you  at  this  re- 
trospect, when  you  see  Jesus  looking  on  you 
with  that  look  of  wounded  love,  whose  si- 
lent reproach  cuts  so  much  deeper  than  the 
loudest  complaints,  or  severest  denunciations 
— can  you- refrain  from  falling  down  before 
Him  and  weeping  bitterly  ? 

Would  you  be  yet  more  deeply  humbled 
before  your  God,  in  prayer?  Then  look 
down,  as  far  as  you  can  and  dare,  into  the 


106  ADDRESS    V. 

depths  of  your  deceitful  and  desperately 
wicked  heart ;  and  survey  the  fearful  mass 
of  secret  sin,  which  there  lies  hid  don  from 
every  eye  but  God*s.  Contrast  what  the 
friend,  who  knows  you  best,  thinks  of  you, 
with  what  God,  knows  of  you  !  Just  imagine 
you  were  obliged  to  bear  the  abominations 
of  your  heart,  all  its  uncleanness,  rebellion, 
repining,  impurity  of  motive — ^in  a  word, 
the  world  of  iniquity  within,  to  the  eye  of 
your  most  indulgent  earthly  friend.  How 
would  he  be  startled  and  horrified  with  the 
sepulchre  of  sin,  that  would  burst  upon  his 
view.  All  this  you  have  compelled  the 
holy  God  to  look  upon ;  with  all  this  you 
have  offended  the  eyes  of  His  purity  ;  through 
all  this  He  has  continued  to  shower  His  bles- 
sings and  loving-kindnesses  upon  you.  Must 
not  the  thought  strike  even  your  heart,  hard 
and  rocky  as  it  is,  with  such  a  piercing  stroke 
of  penitential  anguish,  as  will  make  the 
streams  of  godly  sorrow  gush  forth  in  a  full 
tide  ? 

But,  you  will  perhaps  say,  must  not  this 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  107 

overwhelming  sense  of  your  own  unwor- 
thiness  damp  your  ardour  in  supplication  to 
Him,  whose  loving-kindness  you  have  so 
shamefully  requited  ?  How  can  you,  with 
all  your  ingratitude  and  guilt  thus  staring 
you  in  the  face,  come  before  God,  to  ask 
Him  for  fresh  mercies  ;  for  a  further  supply 
of  His  most  precious  blessings  ?  Here  is 
one  of  those  Christian  paradoxes,  to  which 
we  have  alluded.  It  is  this  very  sense  of 
unworthiness,  which,  when  most  deeply  and 
penitently  felt,  and  accompanied  with  the 
profoundest  abhorrence  of  sin,  and  the  most 
earnest  desires  and  endeavours  after  the 
highest  degrees  of  devotedness  and  holiness, 
which  can  be  attained  on  earth,  gives  you 
the  sweetest  assurance  of  the  most  abundant 
and  invaluable  blessings  being  vouchsafed  to 
you,  in  answer  to  your  prayers.  How  is 
this  ?  Because  it  drives  you  away  alto- 
gether from  standing  on  a  ground,  in  offer- 
ing up  your  prayers,  which  could  entitle 
you  to  ask  for  nothing  at  God's  hands,  but 
the  heaviest  judgments  He  could  inflict — tl  f 


108  ADDRESS    V. 

groimd  of  your  own  deserts ;  and  places 
you  on  a  ground,  which  entitles  you  to  ask 
for  the  very  best  blessings  your  covenant- 
God  can  bestow,  even  the  ground  of  the 
merits  and  mediation  of  His  well- beloved 
Son.  Resting  your  claims  exclusively  on 
this  ground,  how  confident  may  be  your  as- 
surance, and  how  exalted  your  expectations, 
of  the  blessings  you  desire,  and  implore, 
when  you  reflect  that  even  when  you  raise 
that  assurance  and  those  expectations,  to 
the  highest  possible  pitch,  you  are  not  rais- 
ing them  higher,  than  you  are  warranted  by 
the  word  of  God.  Yea,  so  far  from  this, 
you  are  doing  that  which  is  most  pleasing 
in  your  heavenly  Father's  sight,  as  you  are 
showing  Him  that  He  has  not  lavished  on 
you  the  gift  of  His  own  Son,  altogether  in 
vain;  but  that  you  have  learned,  in  some 
measure,  to  appreciate  aright  the  precious 
ness  of  that  gift ;  and  to  estimate,  in  some 
degree,  at  their  real  worth,  the  value  of  the 
Saviour's  blood — the  merits  of  His  obedi- 


HUMILITY    IN    PRAYER.  109 

cnce — the  sufficiency  of  His  sacrifice,  and 
the  efficacy  of  His  intercession. 

I  address  you  as  a  child  of  God — as  uni- 
ted to  the  Saviour  by  a  living,  therefore,  a 
justifying  and  sanctifying  faith,  and  thus 
made  a  living  member  of  His  mystical  body 
— a  living  branch  of  the  true  vine — a  living 
stone  in  the  spiritual  temple. 

As  such,  you  are  privileged  to  believe, 
that  you  have  a  personal  interest  in  all  that 
the  Son  of  God  has  done  and  suffered,  for 
the  salvation  of  His  people. 

You  have  the  full  benefit  of  His  atoning 
sufferings  imputed  to  you,  in  right  of  which 
your  sins  are  remitted,  and  your  iniquities 
forgiven  ;  and  the  full  benefit  of  the  imputa- 
tion of  His  meritorious  righteousness,  w^ith 
which  your  pardoned  spirit  is  arrayed,  as 
with  a  seamless  robe,  that  hides  all  your 
sinfulness  from  your  heavenly  Father's 
sight ;  so  that  He  can  look  on  you  with  in- 
finite complacency,  seeing  you  thus  clothed 
in  a  garment  of  salvation,  woven  for  you  by 
the  hands  of  His  own  dear  Son. 
10 


110  ADDRESS    V. 

If,  then,  you  would  approach  God  in 
prayer,  with  a  confidence,  which  the  most 
humbling  sense  of  your  own  unworthiness 
cannot  shake,  habituate  yourself  to  dwell  on 
the  privileges,  with  which  your  union — I 
should  say  your  identification — your  being 
one  with  Christ,  invests  you.  You  are 
privileged  to  believe,  that  from  the  ages  of 
eternity,  there  were  thoughts  of  loving-kind- 
ness towards  you,  in  the  bosom  of  the  Son 
of  God  !  That  when  He  descended  from 
His  everlasting  throne,  and  shrouded  His 
deity  under  a  garb  of  flesh,  it  was  for  you 
He  stooped  to  this  inconceivable  humilia- 
tion !  That  when  He  poured  forth  that 
sublime  intercessory  prayer,  the  night  He 
was  betrayed,  on  behalf  of  all  that  should 
believe  on  Him,  to  the  end  of  time,  you 
were  in  His  thoughts,  and  near  His  heart. 
That  when,  in  the  garden,  He  prayed  in 
His  agony,  that  the  mysterious  cup  of  an- 
guish might  pass  away  from  Him,  what 
partly  made  that  prayer  impossible  to  be 
heard,  and  reconciled  Him  to  draining  that 


HUMILITY     IN     PRAYER.  Ill 

cup  to  the  dregs,  was  His  desire  and  deter- 
mination, that  you  should  be  eternally  hap- 
py !  That  when  He  was  lifted  up  on  the 
cross,  crowned  with  thorns,  it  was  that  you 
might  be  lifted  up  on  a  throne,  crowned 
with  glory;  and  when  He  returned  to 
heaven,  to  sit  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high,  it  was  to  make  intercession 
on  your  behalf — to  present  your  prayers, 
perfumed  with  the  fragrance  of  His  merits, 
as  your  High  Priest  and  Advocate,  before 
the  throne  of  God. 

Now,  can  you  really  believe  all  this,  and 
for  one  moment  doubt  the  acceptance  of 
prayers,  which  He  presents,  or  the  bestow- 
ment  of  blessings,  for  which  He  pleads. 
More  especially  when  you  remember,  that 
the  very  ground  on  which  He  rests  His  in- 
tercessory plea,  is  the  sacrifice  He  offered  of 
Himself  in  your  stead,  upon  the  cross  ;  and 
that  in  pleading  for  you,  He  is  virtually  ask- 
ing the  Father  to  recompense  Him — His 
weli-beloved  Son,   for   all   the  humiliation, 


112  ADDRESS    V. 

sorrow,  and  suffering,  which  He  endured 
for  your  sake  while  on  earth  ? 

Endeavour  to  grasp  some  conception, 
(however  faint  it  must  be)  of  the  love,  that 
subsists  between  the  eternal  Father,  and  His 
own — His  only  Son ;  and  can  you  really 
believe,  that  you  could  offer  up  in  faith, 
according  to  the  will  and  word  of  God,  and 
yet  offer  up  in  vain,  a  single  prayer,  asking 
in  the  Redeemer's  name,  and  for  His  sake, 
blessings,  however  large,  costly,  or  precious, 
when  you  reflect  that  by  granting  them  to 
your  prayer,  the  everlasting  Father  is  testi- 
fying His  infinite  complacency  and  delight 
in  His  dear  Son,  and  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption, which,  to  advance  the  Father's 
glory.  He  undertook ;  and  thus  rewarding 
Him  for  all  the  travail  of  His  soul,  during 
His  pilgrimage  of  pain,  while  bearing  the 
burden  of  His  people's  transgressions  upon 
earth. 

See  you  not,  that  there  are  no  blessings 
in  the  power  of  God  to  give,  that  you  are 
not  privileged  on  this  ground  to  ask  ?  for 


HUMILITY     IN    PRAYER.  113 

though  you  are  utterly  unworthy  of  the 
very  least  of  them  all,  is  not  the  Son  of 
God  worthy  to  have  procured,  as  the  re- 
compense of  His  sufferings,  the  very  great- 
est that  His  Father  can  bestow  ? 

Surely  you  do  not  mean  to  say,  that  there 
is  in  the  Father's  gift  a  single  blessing,  for 
which  the  blood  of  His  own  Son,  would  not 
be  deemed  by  Him  a  sufficient  price ;  or 
which  the  intercession  of  His  own  Son, 
grounded  on  the  merits  of  His  obedience 
unto  death,  could  fail  to  procure  for  any  of 
His  blood-bought  people  ? 

You  perceive,  then,  how  it  is,  that  you  can 
at  once  cherish  the  most  humbling  sense  of 
your  own  utter  unworthiness,  and  the  most 
undoubting  assurance  of  obtaining,  in  an- 
swer to  your  prayers,  the  most  abundant 
measure  of  spiritual  blessings ;  and  how 
that  sweet  and  precious  doctrine  of  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ  may,  at  once,  inspire 
you  with  energy  of  supplication,  and  confi- 
dence of  success. 

Let,  then,  the  apostolic  exhortation  sink 
10* 


114  ADDRESS    V. 

deep  into  your  heart.  "  Having,  therefore, 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest,  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way, 
which  He  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through 
the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  His  flesh,  and  having 
an  high-priest  over  the  house  of  God,  let  us 
draw  near,  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assur- 
ance of  faith ;  for  we  have  not  an  high- 
priest,  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the 
feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all 
points  tempted,  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin  ;  let  us,  therefore,  come  boldly  unto  the 
throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace  to  help,  in  time  of  need  ;  en- 
lightening, guiding,  sanctifying,  sustaining, 
comforting,  grace. 

Yes,  child  of  God,  encouraged  by  the 
sweet,  because  sinless  sympathy  of  the 
great  and  gracious  High  Priest  of  your  pro- 
fession, who  pleads  for  you  before  the  mer- 
cy-seat of  heaven,  you  may  indeed  come 
boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  assured  by 
His  own  promise,  that  "  whatsoever  you 
shall  ask  in  his  name,    believing,  you  shall 


HUMILITY   IN    PRAYER.  115 

And,  oh,  how  should  it  endear 
Him  to  your  heart,  and  make  every  blessing 
which  your  heavenly  Father's  love  so  boun- 
tifully bestows  on  you,  unspeakably  precious 
in  your  sight,  wnen  you  regard  them  all  as 
the  fruit  of  your  own  Saviour's  intercession, 
the  purchase  of  His  blood. 


ADDRESS  VI. 


ON  THE  UNION  OF  WATCHFULNESS  AND  DEPENDENCi: 
IN  PRAYER. 

"  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence." — Prov.  iv.  23. 

"  Commune  with  your  own  heart,  and  in  your  chamber, 
and  be  still."— Ps.  iv.  4. 

"  Be  sober  and  watch  unto  prayer ;  watching  thereunto 
with  all  perseverance."—!.  Pet.  iv.  7.  Eph.  vi.  18. 

"  Praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  all  prayer  and  supn 
plication  in  the  Spirit."— Jude,  20. 

There  has  been  no  subject  of  grief  and 
lamentation,  more  general  with  the  childi'en 
of  God,  in  every  age,  than  that  so  feelingly- 
expressed  by  the  sweet  poet  of  Christianity — 

What  various  hindrances  we  meet, 
In  coming  to  a  mercy-seat. 

When  w^c  view  prayer  under  its  most  ap- 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    GRAYER.  117 

propriate  aspect,  as  the  endearing  converse 
of  a  child  of  God  with  his  Heavenly  Father, 
pouring  out  before  Him,  in  all  the  confiding 
freedom  of  filial  love,  all  the  various  feelings 
of  which  his  overburthened  heart  is  full,  en- 
couraged by  the  sweet  assurance,  that  his 
Father  in  heaven  is  ever  ready  to  listen,  with 
a  gracious  ear,  to  all  his  supplications — and 
supply,  with  overflowing  liberality,  all  his 
wants;  one  might  imagine,  that  it  would 
have  been  unnecessary  to  command  as  a 
duty,  what  one  would  have  expected  would 
be  supremely  prized,  by  every  believer,  as 
his  highest  privilege ;  and  supremely  enjoyed, 
as  his  highest  happiness. 

So,  I  am  aware,  it  is  prized,  in  his  enlight- 
ened judgment ;  and  so  enjoyed  in  many  an 
hour  of  secret  communion  with  his  God,  for 
whose  pure  and  satisfying  joys,  he  would 
deem  the  wealth  of  ten  thousand  worlds  a 
very  poor  exchange. 

But,  alas  !  how  often  is  it  the  very  re- 
verse !  How  often  does  even  the  child  of 
God  feel  astonished,  and  actually  horrified, 


118  ADDRESS    VI. 

to  discover  in  himself  a  Strang  .  and  hateful 
reluctance  to  engage  in  this  sa^  red  exercise  ! 
What  trifling  excuses  will  he  ^?ften  allow  to 
divert  him  from  its  devout  enjoyment !  And 
even,  if,  from  a  conscientious  motive,  he  con- 
tinues punctual  in  the  perfomftfice,  what  a 
weariness  is  it  to  his  spirit ;  how  is  it  gone 
through, merely  to  silence  the  monitor  within, 
whose  upbraiding  voice  would  allow  him  no 
rest,  if  he  entirely  neglected  to  approach  his 
God! 

But,  oh  I  what  cold  formality — what  list- 
less vacancy,  mark,  or  rather  mar,  the  per- 
formance !  What  wanderings  and  distrac- 
tions of  thought  and  feeling  !  What  a  hor- 
rible mixture  of  vain,  if  not  vicious  imagina- 
tions, mingling  with  expressions  of  peniten- 
tial sorrow,  fervent  gratitude,  or  holy  joy ! 
Talking  to  God,  but  not  thinking  of  Him ; 
almost  if  not  altogether,  unconscious  what 
we  are  saying  to  Him — His  name  on  our 
lips,  but  some  earthly  object,  or  worldly  care, 
in  our  hearts.  So  that,  if  what  we  are  ut- 
tering with  our  mouth,  and  meditating  on  ii? 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  119 

our  heart,  were  to  be  united  together  in 
continuous  language,  and  written  on  the 
walls  of  our  chamber ;  and  we  \vere  obliged, 
by  the  startling  summons  of  the  voice  of 
God,  suddenly  to  look  up,  and  read  what 
was  traced  before  our  eyes,  as  the  substance 
of  what  we  had  been  saying  to  the  Almighty, 
from  the  time  we  knelt  down;  we  would 
be  so  startled  by  the  appalling  exhibition  of 
the  insult  we  had  been  offering  to  Jehovah, 
that  we  must  wonder  that  with  all  His  pa- 
tience, and  forbearance.  He  could  endure 
such  an  affront  as  this  ! 

Surely,  there  is  something  in  this  view, 
which  most  affectingly  magnifies  the  mercy 
of  the  Father  of  all  mercies.  Surely,  He 
with  whom  we  have  to  do,  is  indeed  a  pa- 
tient God,  slow,  oh  !  how  slow  to  anger  ! 
And  unquestionably,  were  every  other  evi- 
dence withdrawn,  to  prove  that  our  nature 
is  fallen  from  its  primeval  grandeur — very, 
very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness : 
the  most  devout  prayers  of  the  holiest  man 
on  earth  would  be  sufficient  to  show,  that 


120  ADDRESS    VI. 

some  dreadful  catastrophe  has  happened  to 
our  race ;  some  fearful  convulsion  has  w^reck- 
ed  and  ruined  our  moral  constitution,  since 
the  morning  that  God  made  man  in  His  own 
image,  and  man  walked  with  God,  even  as 
one  walketh  with  a  friend. 

How  impossible  to  conceive  Adam,  before 
the  fall,  walking  with  God,  amidst  the  trees 
of  the  garden  of  Eden,  holding  converse 
with  his  Almighty  Father  and  Friend,  and 
yet,  his  thoughts — his  heart,  far  away  from 
God. 

Here  is  the  root  of  the  evil — the  dark,  pol- 
luted fountain,  from  which  all  the  streams  of 
alienation  from  God,  and  the  indisposedness 
to  divine  enjoyments  flow. 

Ever  since  the  fall,  the  principle  of  divine 
attraction,  which  united  man's  heart  to  God, 
and  drew  up  his  affections  to  Him  and  heav- 
en, has  been  withdrawn  ;  and  its  place  sup- 
plied by  a  principle  of  carnal  gravitation, 
which  draws  down  the  thoughts,  desires, 
and  affections  of  man's  natural  heart  to  earth, 
and  earthly  things ;  so  that  it  is  as  contrary 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  121 

to  the  natural  tendency  of  the  human  heart, 
to  mount  up  to  God  and  heaven,  as  for  a 
stone,  of  itself,  to  fly  upwards.  And  though 
this  principle  of  earthward  gravitation, 
(which,  if  not  counteracted,  must  at  last 
drag  the  soul  into  hell.)  is  counteracted^ in  the 
regenerated  children  of  God,  by  the  power 
of  divine  grace,  which  propels  the  thoughts 
and  affections  upwards  ;  though  the  princi- 
ple of  divine  attraction,  which  draws  the 
heart  to  God  and  heaven,  isy  in  them  restor- 
ed ;  yet  is  the  renewal  of  their  nature,  while 
on  earth,  imperfect — the  downward  tenden- 
cy, though  resisted,  is  not  entirely  removed  ; 
and  this  it  is,  which  makes  a  life  of  faith,  a 
supernatural — a  miraculous  kind  of  life  ; 
and  heavenly-mindedness  so  exceedingly  dif 
ficult  to  be  constantly  maintained. 

This  is,  we  doubt  not,  one  principal  cause 
of  that  wandering  and  distraction  of  mind 
in  prayer,  of  which  the  children  of  God 
have,  in  every  age,  so  bitterly  complained. 

But  we  must  not  omit  to  notice  another 
cause — Satanic  influence.  Yes,  here  also,  as 
U 


122  ADDRESS    V  . 

in  every  other  part  of  our  spiritual  conflict, 
"  we  have  to  wrestle,  not  merely  against  flesh 
and  blood,  (against  our  natural  corruption 
and  deadness  to  divine  things,)  but  against 
principalities  and  powers,  against  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places."  Yea,  I  believe 
here  especially,  Satan  tries  all  his  stratagems 
and  puts  forth  all  his  power  ;  for  earth  does 
not,  I  am  convinced,  present  to  his  eyes  a 
spectacle  which  he  more  hates  and  trembles 
to  behold,  than  a  believer,  wrestling.  Jacob- 
like, with  God  in  prayer. 

And  well  may  he  tremble  ;  for  he  knows 
that  the  fervent  prayer  of  faith  invests  the 
believer  with  a  strength  with  which  he  vainly 
endeavours  to  cope ;  provides  him  with  a 
counter-charm  to  all  his  spells  ;  and  arrays 
him  with  a  celestial  armour,  against  which 
no  w^eapon  forged  in  hell  can  prosper — es- 
pecially that  all-covering  "shield  of  faith, 
which  is  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of 
the  wicked  one."  Hence  it  is  that  the  wily 
adversary  uses  every  artifice,  which  diaboli- 
cal subtlety  can  suggest,  to  render  the  be- 


WATCHFULNESS     IN    PRAYER.  123 

liever,  as  much  as  possible,  a  formalist  in 
prayer — to  divert  him  from  or  distract  him  in, 
his  devotions,  by  forcing  on  the  mind  worldly 
occupation,  anxieties,  and  cares  ; .  or  present- 
ing to  the  eye  of  the  imagination  visions  of 
such  a  character,  as  almost  at  times  to  drive 
the  believer  in  terror  from  his  knees,  lest  he 
should  be  only  sinning  against  God,  by  con- 
tinuing to  pray,  with  such  imaginations  float- 
ing before  his  eyes.  A  suggestion  of  Satan, 
to  which  it  would  be  as  manifest  madness  to 
yield,  instead  of  flying,  by  faith,  into  the  Sa- 
viour's outstretched  arms,  as  it  would  be  for 
a  man  pursued  by  a  roaring  lion,  to  be  ter- 
rified into  standing  still,  or  throwing  himself 
into  the  lion's  jaws,  while  close  beside  him 
stood  One,  who  could  protect  him  from  the 
monster's  fury — One,  whose  outstretched 
arm  it  only  required  one  vigorous  effort  to 
rush  forward,  seize,  and  be  safe. 

We  have  thus  seen,  that  the  wanderings, 
distraction,  and  deadness  in  devotion,  which 
are  among  the  sorest  trials  of  a  child  of 
God,   are    to  be   traced    to   the   combined 


124  ADDRESS    VI. 

influence  of  the  remaining  corruption  of 
his  imperfectly-renewed  nature,  and  the 
direct  agency  of  the  enemy  of  our  souls ; 
and  therefore  if  honestly  and  heartily  striven 
against,  (however  deeply  they  must  ever  be 
deplored,  and  however  profound  the  humi- 
liation, and  piercing  the  anguish  of  soul, 
they  must  ever  awaken  in  one,  who  desires 
continually  to  walk  with  God,)  they  must 
not  be  regarded  as  invalidating  his  claim  to 
a  believer's  privileges  and  hopes.  It  is, 
however,  an  inquiry  of  the  deepest  interest 
and  importance,  what  remedy  can  be  pro- 
vided for  an  evil  of  such  appalling  magni- 
tude— so  fatally  injurious  to  the  highest  in- 
terests, and  purest  enjoyments  of  a  child  of 
God. 

This  leads  us  to  consider  the  third  union 
of  qualities  of  which  we  spake,  as  entering 
into  the  composition  of  the  spirit  of  prayer 
— the  union  of  the  most  careful  watchful- 
ness over  our  own  thoughts  and  feelings, 
combined  with  the  most  implicit  rehance  on 
the  promised  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  125 

We  have  already  glanced  at  the  former 
branch  of  the  subject,  when  we  alluded  to 
the  importance  of  maintaining,  throughout 
the  day,  a  constant  guard  over  our  thoughts 
and  desires,  so  as  to  restrain  them  from 
whatever  has  a  tendency  to  unfit  us  for  de- 
votional communion  with  God  in  the  closet ; 
and  thus  to  breathe  all  day  long  an  atmos- 
phere of  devotional  feeling,  which,  the  purer 
it  has  been  preserved  through  the  day,  will 
be  the  more  easily  and  enjoyingly  concen- 
trated in  acts  of  devotion,  when  we  retire 
to  our  chamber  to  hold  converse  with  our 
God. 

As,  however,  the  distractions  of  thought 
in  prayer,  so  much  complained  of  by  Chris- 
tians, arise  more  perhaps  from  the  neglect 
of  this  habit  of  constant  watchfulness 
throughout  the  day,  than  from  any  other 
cause,  it  may  be  desirable  to  consider  the 
subject  somewhat  more  fully  in  detail 
More  especially  as  there  appears  to  exist, 
among  many  I'eligious  professors  in  our  day, 
an  unreasonable  jealousy  and  dislike  of 
11* 


126  4DDRESS     VI. 

every  exhortation  to  a  believer^s  personal 
vigilance  and  exertions  for  the  attainment, 
establishment,  and  increase  of  holiness,  as  if 
all  such  exhortations  necessarily  savoured 
of  a  spirit  of  legality  ;  entrenched  on  the 
sovereignty  and  freeness  of  divine  grace  ; 
manifested  a  presumptuous  desire  to  share 
with  the  Saviour,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the 
glory  of  the  work  of  man's  salvation ;  and 
tended  to  encourage  a  feeling  of  proud  self- 
righteousness,  and  self-dependence.  I  can- 
not but  fear  this  unreasonable  alarm,  at 
hearing  the  scriptural  injunctions — "  Watch, 
strive,  labour,  wrestle,  run,  fight ;"  echoed 
and  enforced,  has  tended  very  much  to  hin- 
der the  progress  of  sanctification,  in  many 
sincere  believers.  For  if  they  are  taught  to 
regard  every  effort  of  their  own  (however 
humbly  made,  in  unqualified  dependence  on 
divine  grace,)  as  calculated  to  rob  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  the  honour  which  is  exclusively 
His  due,  this  must  manifestly  have  a  direct 
tendency  to  lead  them  to  relax  those  very 
exertions,  with  the  faithful  and  persevering 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  127 

use  of  which  it  has  pleased  this  Sovereign 
Dispenser  of  all  grace,  in  the  most  absolute 
exercise  of  that  Sovereignty,  to  connect  the 
promised  aid  and  influence  which  He  can 
alone  impart. 

Really  many  in  our  day  seem  to  think, 
that  any  injunction  to  a  believer  to  exercise 
his  mental  faculties,  heartily  and  vigorously, 
in  reliance  on,  and  co-operation  with,  the 
influences  of  divine  grace,  is  an  insult  to  the 
God  of  all  grace ;  as  if  the  God  of  grace 
were  not  the  God  of  nature — as  if  He  who 
regenerates,  were  not  the  very  same  Being 
who  created  us — as  if,  in  truth,  our  mental 
faculties  were  not  bestowed  on  us  by  our 
heavenly  Father,  but  were  the  gift  of  Satan 
so  that  every  exercise  of  them  was  an  act 
of  homage  to  him,  and  not  to  God. 

This  is  a  dreadful  error.  'Tis  true,  our 
mental  faculties  have  all  been  ruined  by  the 
fall ;  but  majestic  even  in  their  ruins,  they 
still  bear,  in  desolated  grandeur,  like  the 
fallen  pillars  of  some  magnificent  temple, 
the    impress    of   the    divine   hand    which 


128  ADDRESS    VI. 

originally  formed  them.  And  though  all  the 
glory,  because  all  the  power,  of  the  work 
of  raising  them  out  of  their  ruins,  and  set- 
ting them  up  anew,  as  pillars  in  the  temple 
of  God,  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Spirit  of 
grace,  yet  is  the  believer  at  once  privileged 
and  commanded  to  labour,  under  the  direc- 
tions and  in  the  strength  of  this  Spirit,  with 
all  diligence,  zeal,  and  perseverance,  in  his 
subordinate  station,  in  the  building  of  the 
heavenly  temple. 

Surely,  this  is  not  to  rob  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  His  glory  !  Surely,  our  having  abused 
all  our  faculties  in  the  service  of  Satan,  is  no 
reason  why  we  should  not  use  them  in  the 
service  of  God.  Surely,  to  work  in  humble 
dependence  on  divine  grace,  is  not  to  aim  at 
4  proud  independence  of,  or  presumptuous 
encroachment  on,  the  divine  glory  ! 

Might  not  the  analogy  of  creation,  and 
providence,  teach  us  a  wiser  lesson  1  When 
the  husbandman  prepares  the  ground,  and 
sows  the  seed,  does  this  argue  an  atheistical 
forgetfulness,  that  no  matter  how  carefully 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  129 

he  may  plant  or  water,  it  is  God  alone  that 
giveth  the  increase  ?  Is  he  not  perfectly 
aware  thai  it  is  no  power  of  his  own,  but 
exclusively  the  power  of  God,  which  makes 
the  buried  seed  shoot  forth,  and  bring  forth 
fruit  to  an  abundant  harvest  ? 

What  would  we  say  of  the  man,  who, 
under  pretence  of  honouring  the  divine 
omnipotence,  inasmuch  as  he  could  not 
make  a  single  blade  to  grow,  neglected  to 
sow  the  seed,  and  yet  came  in.  harvest-time 
to  reap  a  luxuriant  crop  ?  Would  we  com- 
mend him  for  his  trust  in  God,  or  rather 
would  we  not  condemn  him  as  a  hypocrite, 
or  pity  him  as  a  fool  ? 

Then  how  is  it  more  a  denial  of  the  divine 
power,  or  an  usurpation  of  the  divine  pre- 
rogative, if,  in  hopes  of  an  abundant  spirit- 
ual harvest,  the  believer  cultivates,  with  un- 
wearied diligence  the  field  which  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest  has  committed  to  his  care ; 
provided,  in  all  his  watchings  and  labours, 
he  ever  remembers,  that  even  when  a  Paul 
plants,  or  an  Apollos  waters,  it  is  God  alone 


130  ADDRESS    \X 

who  giveth  the  increase.  And  whether  is 
it  really  honouring  God  most,  to  work  stre- 
nuously, and  unweariedly,  in  the  allotted 
field  of  labour,  lifting  up  the  eye  of  faith, 
and  the  voice  of  supphcation,  for  the  divine 
blessing  to  prosper  the  work  ;  or  to  fold  the 
arms  in  slothful  inactivity,  and  do  nothing 
under  pretence  of  leaving  it  to  the  Spirit  of 
grace  to  do  all,  that  so  all  the  glory  of  the 
work  may  be  given  to  God? 

And  if,  from  the  analogy  of  creation  we 
turn  to  the  testimony  of  Scripture,  how 
loudly  does  it  echo  the  call  to  exertion, 
which  rises  with  such  an  authoritative  voice, 
from  the  constitution  of  nature,  and  the 
providence  of  God. 

Might  we  not  challenge  the  advocate  of 
the  system,  which  would  represent  personal 
exertion  as  offering  insult,  and  lazy  inactivity 
as  doing  honour  to  the  Spirit  of  grace,  to 
produce  any  passages  in  Scripture,  where 
the  undivided  glory  of  the  work  of  sanctifi- 
cation  is  attributed  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
language   clearer  or  stronger  than   is   the 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  131 

necessity  of  the  diligent  and  persevering  ex- 
ertions of  our  own  faculties,  in  the  use  of  all 
the  appointed  means  of  grace,  set  forth  in 
the  following  passages  of  the  word  of  God, — 

"  Strive  (literally  agonize)  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate  ;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by 
force.  Labour  not  for  the  meat  that  perish- 
eth,  but  for  that  which  endureth  to  ever- 
lasting life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give 
unto  you.  Watch!  watch  and  pray,  yea, 
pray  without  ceasing.  Work  out  your  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is 
God  that  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  His  own  good  pleasure.  Fight  the  good 
fight  of  faith.  Run  with  patience  the  race 
set  before  us,  yea,  so  run  that  ye  may  obtain. 

Whatsoever  a  man  soweth  that  shall  he  also 
reap.  He  that  soweth  sparingly,  shall  reap 
also  ?>paringly ;  and  he  that  soweth  bounti- 
fully, shall  reap  also  bountifully.  Give  dili- 
gence to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure  ; 
for  if  ye  do  these  things  ye  shall  never  fall ; 
for  so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto 


132  ADDRESS    VI. 

you  abundantly,  into  the  everlasting  kingdom 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

Now  combine  with  these,  and  a  thousand 
similar  expressions,  the  plain  purport  of  the 
parable  of  the  sower,  and  still  more  of  the 
two  parables  of  the  talents,  and  surely  it  is 
as  plain  as  Scripture  can  make  it,  that  while 
we  ought,  each  of  us,  heartily  to  feel,  and 
honestly  to  confess, 

'•'  Help  I  every  moment  need," 

and  that  we  cannot  take  one  single  step  in 
our  heavenward  journey,  in  our  own  unaided 
strength,  yet  we  are  to  expect  God's  promised 
grace,  to  help  in  every  time  of  need,  and 
bring  us  safe  to  heaven  at  last,  not  while 
lazily  standing  still,  in  slothful  inactivity,  un- 
der any  pretext,  hut  while  watching — striv- 
ing— praying — labouring — wrestling  —  run- 
ning— using  a  holy  violence  to  seize  on  heav- 
enly things — giving  all  diligence  to  make 
our  calling  and  election  sure. 

I  have  been  led  into  this  apparent  digres- 
sion, by  a  conviction,  that  the  neglect  of  the 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  138 

principle  I  have  endeavoured  to  establish, 
has  tended  much  to  promote  that  wandering 
distractedness  of  mind,  in  devotion,  which 
so  often  consumes,  as  it  were,  its  very  vitals. 

We  are  more  responsible  for  the  regula- 
tion of  our  thoughts,  because  the  control  of 
them  is  placed  more  within  our  reach,  than 
we  are  perhaps  aware,  or  willing  to  admit : 
and  I  would  again  and  again  impress  the  all- 
important  truth,  that  a  due  and  hallowed  re- 
gulation of  our  thoughts  throughout  the  day, 
would  have,  under  the  divine  blessing,  a 
most  powerful  tendency  to  restrain  them 
from  wandering,  and  enable  us  to  fix  them 
on  holy  and  heavenly  things,  in  our  devo- 
tional communion  with  God. 

There  are  several  things  palpably  in  our 
own  power,  connected  with  this  subject,  a 
faithful  observance  of  which  would  have  a 
most  beneficial  influence  on  our  devotional 
enjoyments. 

If  I  find  that  reading  a  particular  book 
has  a  tendency  to  excite  in  my  mind  a  train 
of  thoughts  and  feelings,  unfriendly  to  a  de- 
12 


134  ADDRESS    VI. 

votional  spirit,  because  unfitting  me  for  con- 
verse with  a  God  of  infinite  purity  and  holi- 
ness, it  is,  beyond  all  controversy,  in  my 
power  to  avoid  reading  that  book. 

If  I  will  read  it,  notwithstanding  my  ex- 
perience of  its  baneful  effects,  I  may  then 
be  utterly  unable  to  stem  the  tide  of  vicious 
thoughts  that  rushes  in  upon  my  mind  ;  or 
to  bid  away  the  voluptuous  visions  that  are 
conjured  up  before  the  eye  of  my  imagina- 
tion ;  because  I  have,  with  my  own  hand, 
opened  the  flood-gates,  that  poured  in  that 
tide  of  thought ;  and,  by  my  own  voice, 
evoked  those  spirits  of  evil,  that  will  readily 
come  at  my  bidding,  but  not  at  my  bidding 
depart.  Still,  it  is  manifest,  that  I  am  an- 
swerable before  God,  for  all  the  guilt  I  con- 
tract through  the  medium  of  that  ensnaring 
book,  because  it  was  plainly  in  my  power 
not  to  take  up  the  book. 

Satan  cannot  compel  me  to  do  this ;  though 
if  1  venture,  in  opposition  to  the  plain  and 
positive  command  of  God,  to  read  what  by 
experience  I  have  found  is  fraught  with  in- 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  135 

jurious  influences,  Satan  may  be  permitted 
to  use  the  instrumentality  of  that  work,  to 
excite  in  me  thoughts  and  desires  utterly  in- 
compatible with  a  devotional  spirit.  And 
as,  in  reading  such  a  book,  I  have  ventured 
on  a  disobedient  act  of  self-indulgence,  and 
wandered  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
promised  protection,  I  must  encounter  Sa- 
tan in  my  own  unaided  strength. 

Can  we  calculate,  without  a  shudder,  the 
consequences  of  such  an  encounter,  when 
we  look  at  the  warm-hearted,  zealous  Peter, 
in  consequence  of  a  similar  experiment,  de- 
nying, with  horrible  oaths  and  imprecations, 
that  he  ever  knew  the  Lord  1 

I  have  dwelt  more  in  detail  on  this  par- 
ticular instance,  because  the  spirit  of  these 
observations  will  equally  apply  to  indulging 
in  any  style  of  conversation,  society,  occu- 
pation, or  amusement,  which  is  found  by 
experience  to  awaken  such  imaginations  or 
passions,  as  unfit  us  for  direct  devotional  in- 
tercourse with  God.  And  must  not  this 
test,   if  honestly   applied,   stamp   with  the 


136  ADDRESS    VI. 

Strongest  mark  of  condemnation,  as  alto- 
gether unsuitable  recreations  for  a  child  of 
God,  the  theatre,  the  ball-room,  and  all  those 
resorts  of  fashionable  gaiety,  which  are  so 
deeply  impregnated  with  the  essential  spirit 
of  worldliness,  that  devotional  feelings  can- 
not but  droop  and  die  in  their  chilling  atmos- 
phere? For  how  can  a  child  of  God  consistent- 
ly seek  for  enjoyment  in  scenes,  in  the  midst 
of  which  it  would  be  an  impious  mockery 
of  the  Most  High  to  bend  the  knee  in  sup- 
plication or  thanksgiving  before  a  throne  of 
grace  ;  and  from  which  it  would,  indeed,  be 
no  less  than  a  miracle  to  be  enabled  to  bring 
home  a  devotional  spirit  to  the  retirement 
of  the  closet,  or  to  retain  a  relish  or  a  meet- 
ness,  with  feelings  distracted,  and  exhausted, 
by  scenes  of  feverish  excitement,  for  devout 
intercourse  with  a  holy  God.  So  that  if  we 
are  really  desirous  to  enjoy  such  intercourse 
in  our  closet,  undistractedly,  we  must  resolve, 
in  divine  strength,  throughout  the  day,  to 
avoid  every  thing,  (no  matter  what  attrac- 
tions it  may  present,  or  what  pretences  for 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  137 

indulgence  either  from  constitutional  tem- 
perament, or  deep-rooted  tastes,  or  long- 
cherished  habits,  it  may  plead,)  which  con- 
jures up  any  class  of  thoughts  or  feelings,  that, 
if  suddenly  called  upon  to  unite  in  prayer 
to  God  we  would  wish  to  bid  away,  before 
we  could  presume  to  address  ourselves  to 
Him,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
iniquity. 

How  can  we  expect  thoughts,  whose  abid- 
ing with  us  we  have  wooed  all  day,  to  de- 
part from  us,  at  a  moment's  notice,  at  night  ? 
How  can  we  complain,  if  feelings  that  have 
been  cherished  as  welcome  guests  all  the 
day  long,  refused  to  be  turned  out  of  doors, 
the  instant  we  choose  to  order  them  away  ? 

If,  then,  child  of  God,  you  do  indeed 
desire  to  be  relieved  from  that  wandering 
distractedness  in  devotion,  under  whose 
galling  burthen  you  have  so  often  groaned, 
I  know  no  rule  of  more  vital  importance 
than  this  one ;  abstain,  with  conscientious 
strictness,  I  had  almost  said  scrupulosity, 
from    whatever    (no   matter   how,  in   other 


138  ADDRESS     VI. 

respects,  desirable  or  delightful)  you  have 
found,  or  may  justly  fear,  to  be  calcu- 
lated to  excite  in  you  such  thoughts,  desires, 
or  feelings,  as  would  unfit,  or  indispose  you 
for  immediately  joining  in  prayer  to  God. — 
And  if  such  spontaneously  arise,  without 
external  excitements  of  your  procuring,  or 
are  suggested  by  unavoidable  objects,  or  by 
the  inspiration  of  Satan,  immediately  check 
them ;  do  not  indulge  or  parley  with  them 
for  a  moment ;  look  up  for  strength  to  over- 
come them — silently  implore  the  Spirit's 
aid ;  thus  resist  the  devil,  and  you  shall 
conquer. 

Having  thus,  throughout  the  day,  in  the 
spirit  of  the  apostolical  injunction,  "  watch- 
ed unto  prayer  with  all  perseverance," 
when  the  hour  of  offering  up  the  sacrifice, 
for  which  you  have  been  thus  making  such 
diligent  preparation,  arrives,  seek  to  enter 
on  the  solemn  service  with  all  possible  se- 
riousness, and  recollectedness  of  spirit,  as 
feeling  that  you  are  about  to  be  engaged  in 
the  most  sublime  and  important  occupation. 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  139 

in  which  a  created  being  can  be  employed 
— holding  direct  communion  and  converse 
with  Almighty  God. 

Pause  for  a  while,  before  you  kneel  down, 
that  by  reflecting  on  the  unutterable  majesty 
of  the  Being  you  are  about  to  address,  your 
soul  may  be  stilled  into  a  deep  solemnity  of 
feeling;  and  the  very  atmosphere,  hallowed, 
as  it  were,  by  the  divine  presence,  may 
seem  to  breathe  a  holy  awe  around. 

Seek  to  come  before  God  with  an  over- 
whelming sense  of  His  infinite  purity  and 
glory,  and  your  own  utter  unworthiness 
and  vileness.  Such  as  constrained  Isaiah, 
when  he  had  seen  the  Lord,  sitting  upon  a 
throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  had  heard 
the  seraphims  crying  one  to  another,  "  Holy, 
holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts,"  to  exclaim 
with  trembling  awe,  and  self-abasement, 
"  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am  undone !  because  I 
am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips ;  for  mine 
eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts  !" 
— Such  as  forced  from  Job,  after  the  Al- 


140  ADDRESS    VI. 

mighty  had  spoken  to  him  out  of  the  whirl- 
wind, (in  language,  compared  with  whose 
grandeur  the  loftiest  of  human  composi- 
tions are,  indeed,  but  as  a  whisper  to  the 
loudest  thunder,)  the  self-abhorring  exclama- 
tion, "  Behold,  I  am  vile !  what  shall  I  an- 
swer thee  ?  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my 
mouth.  I  have  heard  of  Thee  by  the  hear- 
ing of  the  ear,  but  now  mine  eye  seeth 
Thee  ;  wherefore  I  abhor  myself  and  repent 
in  dust  and  ashes !" 

Realize  the  conviction  that  God  is  listen- 
ing— look  up,  by  faith,  into  the  heaven  of 
heavens — behold  the  scene  at  which  we 
have  before  glanced,  there  opened  to  your 
view.  See  Jesus  waiting  to  present  your 
petitions  before  the  throne,  and,  through 
His  all-prevailing  intercession,  to  obtain 
from  the  Father  a  gracious  answer  to  your 
prayers. 

Glance  at  Gethsemane  and  Calvary ! 
Call  to  remembrance  what  your  divine  Ad- 
vocate had  there  to  suffer,  to  make  the 
throne  of  God,  to  you,  a   throne  of  grace  ; 


WATCHFULNESS    IN    PRAYER.  141 

to  which  you  might  be  privileged,  through 
His  blood,  even  to  come  boldly,  with  an 
humble  confidence,  that  you  cannot  ask  for 
blessings  greater  than  the  Father  is  willing 
to  give  you,  for  His  dear  Son's  sake. 

Then  seek  to  realize  an  affecting  sense 
of  the  value  of  the  blessings  you  are  about 
to  implore — blessings,  in  themselves  so  pre- 
cious, that  the  Son  of  God  thought  it  not 
too  much  to  purchase  them  for  His  people, 
at  the  price  of  His  own  blood  !  And  just 
consider  what  their  value  must  be,  to  be 
worthy  of  such  a  price — what  it  must  be, 
when  He  who  created  all  things  in  heaven 
and  earth,  and  whom  what  is  infinite  alone 
can  satisfy,  deems  the  procurement  of 
these  blessings  for  His  beloved  people,  an 
abundant  recompense  for  all  the  travail  of 
His  soul,  on  their  behalf;  a  recompense^ 
with  which — ecen  He  is  satisfied. 

But,  while  it  is  thus  meet,  right,  and  your 
bounden  duty,  that  you  should  use  every 
exertion,  to  excite  and  maintain  a  devo- 
tional   spirit,   as   energetically  as  if  every 


142  ADDRESS    VI. 

thing  depended  on  your  own  efforts,  oh  ! 
never  for  one  moment  forget,  that  you 
could  as  easily,  by  your  own  strength,  scale 
the  heavens,  as  by  any  efforts  of  your  own, 
independently  of  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  send  up  a  single  fervent  and  effectual 
prayer  to  the  throne  of  God. 

Were  I  asked,  which  of  all  the  scriptural 
injunctions,  on  the  subject  of  prayer,  I  con- 
ceive to  be  of  paramount  importance,  for 
enabling  a  child  of  God  to  maintain  a 
prayerful  frame,  I  would  at  once  answer — 
"  Praying  always,  with  all  prayer  and  sup- 
plication in  the  Spirit — praying  in  the  Holy 
Ghostr 

And  if  there  be  one  passage,  pre-emi- 
nently distinguished  above  all  others,  for 
the  instruction  and  consolation  it  imparts,  it 
is  that  precious  one  in  which  we  are  assur- 
ed, "  that  the  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities  ; 
for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for, 
as  we  ought ;  but  the  Spirit  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us,  with  groanings  which  cannot 
be  uttered." 


DEPENDENCE    IN    PRAYER.  143 

Yes  !  child  of  God,  if  you  would  indeed, 
pray  acceptably,  you  must  approach  the 
throne  of  grace,  in  a  spirit  of  the  most  im- 
plicit reliance  on  the  divine  teaching  and 
inspiration  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost.  You 
must  remember,  that  after  all  your  prepara- 
tion of  thoughts  and  recollections,  suitable 
to  the  solemn  occasion,  you  have  but  laid 
the  w^ood  in  order,  and  arranged  the  sacri- 
fice on  the  altar — it  is  the  Blessed  Spirit 
that  must  send  dow^n  the  fire  from  heaven, 
to  consume  the  sacrifice,  and  make  it  ascend 
as  a  sweet-smelling  savour  before  God.  To 
this  divine  Teacher  you  must  look,  to  in- 
struct you  both  in  the  subject  and  spirit  of 
your  devotions ;  both  what  to  pray  for,  and 
how  to  pray. 

You  must  apply  to  Him,  as  your  divine 
Agent,  to  draw  up  those  petitions,  which 
Jesus,  as  your  divine  Advocate,  is  to  pre- 
sent unto  God. 

It  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  breath,  which  can 

alone  kindle  the  sparks  of  devotional  feel- 

4ing,  and  fan  them   into  a   flame.     It  is  tt(£ 


144  ADDRESS    \X 

Holy  Spirit's  power  which  can  alone,  with 
almighty  energy,  lift  up  your  earth-bound 
soul  out  of  the  dust,  and  raise  it  to  the  skies. 
It  is  He  who  can  alone  invest  you  with  that 
divine  panoply — the  whole  armour  of  God.* 
It  is  He  that  must  give  your  desires  those 
wings  of  celestial  workmanship,  the  wings 
of  faith  and  hope,  with  which  they  will  soar 
up,  as  eagles,  and  pierce  the  yielding  skies, 
till  they  have  won  their  way  even  to  the 
very  throne — yea  !  to  the  ear  of  Him  who 
sitteth  upon  the  throne.  And  though  the 
winged  messenger  you  thus  send  up  to  heav- 
en be  but  an  unutterable  groan,  an  almost 
inaudible  sigh,  yet  will  He  who  understand- 
eth  the  meaning  of  the  Spirit,  and  can  hear 
the  very  faintest  whisperings  of  His  voice, 
listen  to  every  supplication  He  inspires, 
with  an  attentive  and  delighted  ear. 

In  every  part,  then,  of  your  spiritual 
work  and  warfare,  but  more  especially  in 

♦  See  on  this  subject,  one  of  the  most  valuable  treatises 
in  the  whole  range  of  practical  theology — "  Gurnall's 
Christian  Armour." 


DEPENDENCE   IN    PRAYER.  145 

all  your  devotional  intercourse  with  your 
God,  maintain  an  entire  dependence  on  the 
promised  inspiration  and  influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Ever  keep  in  mind  the  glorious  and  all- 
important  offices,  which  this  blessed  Spirit 
sustains,  in  the  economy  of  redemption. 

Remember  He  is  the  imparter  and  sus- 
tainer  of  all  spiritual  life — the  guide  into  all 
spiritual  truth — the  dispenser  of  all  spiritual 
grace — the  fountain  and  conveyancer  of  all 
spiritual  peace,  and  joy,  and  consolation. 

This  is  the  Spirit,  who  moves  upon  the 
rude  and  restless  passions  of  a  soul,  darken- 
ed and  distracted  by  sin  ;  and  out  of  its 
chaos  of  conflicting  elements,  educes  a  new 
and  beautiful  creation,  where  all  is  harmo- 
ny, and  holiness,  and  happiness. 

This  Spirit  also  is  the  alone  infalhble 
commentator  on  the  word  of  God — the  re- 
vealer  of  mysteries — the  expositor  of  pre- 
cepts— the  remembrancer  of  promises — the 
inspirer  of  prayer. 

In  the  church,  this  divine  Spirit  has  he^^ 
13 


146  ADDRESS    VI. 

in  every  age,  the  source  of  its  illumination 
— the  sustainer  of  its  influence — its  beacon, 
and  bulwark — its  guiding  pillar,  and  pro- 
tecting shield — the  inspirer  of  prophets — 
the  teacher  of  apostles — the  upholder  of 
martyrs — the  comforter  of  Christians — the 
glorifier  of  Christ. 

To  every  individual  member  of  Christ's 
mystical  body,  this  blessed  Spirit  is  the 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  all  in  all,  of  his  spir- 
itual knowledge,  safety,  strength,  and  joy — 
the  enlightener  of  his  understanding — the 
regulator  of  his  will — ^the  controller  of  his 
passions — the  cleanser  of  his  imagination — 
the  purifier  of  his  heart — the  sanctifier  of 
his  soul. 

"  Has  he  peace  and  joy  in  believing,  and 
does  he  abound  in  hope  ?  It  is  through  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  he  strength- 
ened with  might  in  the  inner  man  ?  It  is 
by  the  Spirit.  Is  he,  on  beholding  with 
open  face,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  changed  into  the  same  image,  from 
glory  to  glory  ?      It  is  by  the  Spirit  of  the 


DEPENDENCE    IN    PRAYER.  147 

Lord.  Does  he  know,  to  his  unspeakable 
comfort,  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  ?  No  man 
can  say  this  savingly,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Is  any  offering  he  presents  to  God, 
in  faith,  acceptable  ?  It  is,  as  being  sancti 
fied  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Is  he  chosen  unto 
salvation  ?  It  is  through  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit.  Is  he  sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 
demption ?     It  is  by  the  same  Spirit." 

Yes,  believer  !  I  would  deeply  impress 
on  you  the  recollection,  that  if  there  be  a 
single  breathing  of  spiritual  life  within  your 
soul ;  if  a  single  spark  of  the  love  of  Christ, 
glowing  within  your  heart ;  if  a  single  trace 
of  conformity  to  Christ,  discernible  in  your 
character  ;  if  ever  a  promise  of  the  gospel 
has  spoken  peace  to  your  troubled  spirit ; 
or  a  hope  of  the  Gospel  has  ever  brightened 
to  your  view  the  visions  of  eternity  ;  for  all 
this  you  are  indebted  to  the  Spirit  of  all 
grace,  and  love,  and  peace,  and  glary  ! 

And  why  do  I  thus  impress  on  you  nere 
a  sense  of  your  infinite  obligations  to  this 
l»lessed  Spirit?     Is  it  to  give  emphasis  to 


148  ADDRESS    VI. 

the  apostolical  injunction,  "  Quench  not  the 
Spirit !  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit ;"  for  it 
is  to  Him  you  must  look  for  all  those  holy 
tempers  and  dispositions,  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  as  constituting  the  necessary  pre- 
paratives and  ingredients  for  composing  the 
spirit  of  prayer. 

Yes,  it  is  He  that  must  rouse  your  sluggish 
faculties — warm  your  cold  heart — elevate 
your  grovelling  affections — check  your  wan- 
dering thoughts  —  cleanse  your  polluted 
imaginations, — and  thus  fit  you  for  commu- 
nion with  a  pure  and  holy  God. 

Beware,  then,  of  quenching  the  Spirit's 
inspiration  !  Grieve  Him  not,  by  the  indul- 
gence of  sinful  thoughts,  tempers,  or  desires. 
He  is  a  pure  Spirit,  and  dove-like,  will  not 
dwell  in  a  defiled  habitation — a  sin-polluted 
soul,  in  contact  and  converse  with  impure 
and  unholy  appetites  and  lusts.  He  is  a 
gentle  Spirit,  that  loves  peace,  and  holy 
quiet ;  the  loud  angry  voice  of  contention 
and  clamour  will  frighten  Him  away  !  He 
is  a  loving  Spirit,  and  will  not  fix  His  abode 


DEPENDENCE    IN    PRAYER.  149 

in  a  breast,  where  envy,  malice,  resentment, 
or  unkindness  are  allowed  to  dwell  !  Oh  ! 
do  not  drive  Him  from  you,  by  preferring  to 
His  companionship  such  guests  as  these. 
Gratefully  listen  to  His  slightest  whispers ; 
cheerfully  obey  His  gentlest  suggestions  ; 
cherish,  with  a  holy  jealousy.  His  celestial 
influences.  Then,  indeed,  may  you  expect 
often  to  enjoy  such  sweet  communion  with 
your  covenant-God,  in  the  devotional  re- 
tirement of  your  closet,  that,  like  Jacob,  you 
will  be  ready  to  exclaim,  "  Surely  God  has 
been  in  this  place,  and  made  it  no  other 
than  the  very  gate  of  heaven !"  and  from 
this  high  and  holy  converse  with  your  God, 
you  will  return  to  the  world,  like  Moses, 
coming  down  from  the  mount,  with  such  a 
heavenly  light,  still  lingering  about  you,  and 
shedding  such  a  lustre  of  holiness  over  alii 
your  words,  and  actions,  as  will  proclaim  to. 
all  around  that  you  have  been  with  God. 

Thus  combining  all  that  Scripture  re- 
quires, as  essential  to  the  spirit  of  devotion,, 
you    will    increasingly  find  prayer,  as  youj 


150  ADDRESS    VI. 

travel  heavenward,  your  support  and  solace, 
amidst  all  the  toils,  and  trials,  you  may  meet 
with  on  the  way. 

Continually  supplied,  through  this  chan- 
nel, with  invigorating  and  refreshing  influ- 
ences from  above,  you  will  pass  on  fron* 
strength  to  strength,  till  you  reach  that 
blessed  place,  where  there  will  be  no  more 
need  of  any  channel  for  divine  communica- 
tions ;  for  there  you  shall  drink  direct  from 
the  divine  Fountain  of  light,  and  life — 
exchanging  the  foretastes  of  faith  for  the 
fulness  of  fruition  ;  the  prospects  of  hope, 
for  the  possession  of  heaven :  and  the  sup- 
plications of  struggling  prayer,  before  the 
throne  of  grace,  for  the  songs  of  triumphant 
praise,  before  the  throne  of  glory. 


ADDRESS  VII. 


ON   PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL   BLESSINGS. 

"  Be  careful  for  nothing ;  but,  in  all  things,  by  prayer 
and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be 
made  known  unto  God." — Phil.  iv.  6. 

It  has  been,  I  believe,  a  question  among 
Christians,  whether  a  child  of  God  should 
make  temporal  blessings  a  subject  of  suppli- 
cation at  the  throne  of  grace  ;  or  whether 
he  should  leave  the  disposal  of  them  unre- 
servedly in  his  heavenly  Father's  hands,  not 
merely  not  presuming  to  dictate  what  his 
covenant-God  should  give,  but  even  ventur- 
ing to  intimate  what  he  himself  would  wish 
to  receive. 

Our  utter  ignorance  of  what  is  really  for 
our  good  in  our  temporal  matters,  may  have 
suggested  the  propriety  and  prudence  of 
thus  leaving  all  that  concerns  them,  unre- 


152  ADDRESS    VII. 

servedly,  in  our  heavenly  Father's  hands, 
without  even  the  expression  of  a  wish  upon 
the  subject ;  and  this  idea  may  have  appear- 
ed to  be  countenanced  by  the  advice  of  our 
blessed  Lord,  when  He  enjoined  His  disci- 
ples to  take  no  thought,  even  about  the  ne- 
cessary supplies  of  food  or  raiment ;  for, 
says  Jesus,  "  after  all  these  things  do  the 
Gentiles  seek ;  and  your  heavenly  Father 
knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of  these  things ; 
but  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
His  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall 
be  added  unto  you." 

But  surely  we  are  not  entitled  to  infer 
from  these  expressions,  that  prayer  for  tem- 
poral blessings  is  forbidden.  For  if  the  fact 
of  our  heavenly  Father's  knowing  that  we 
have  need  of  them,  and  the  assurance  that, 
if  we  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness,  all  these,  in  whatever  mea- 
sure He  knows  to  be  best,  shall  be  supplied 
to  us ;  if  these  render  prayer  on  their  be- 
half unwarrantable  or  superfluous,  the  same 
mode   of  reasoning   would  apply,  with  in- 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.      153 

creased  emphasis  to  prove  the  superfluity 
of  prayer  for  spiritual  blessings  ;  because 
here,  pre-eminently,  our  heavenly  Father 
knows  that  we  have  need  of  them,  and  has 
specially  promised,  that,  if  we  seek  them  in 
faith,  they  shall  be  given  unto  us.  But,  if 
this  knowledge  and  promise,  on  the  part  of 
God,  in  the  one  case,  do  not  supersede  the 
necessity  or  propriety  of  prayer,  why  should 
they  in  the  other? 

Besides,  if  we  examine  the  passage,  and 
its  context,  more  closely,  we  shall  perceive 
that  our  Lord's  design  was  not  to  prove  the 
impropriety  of  humble  prayer,  for  temporal 
mercies,  but  the  sinfulness  of  a  dishonour- 
ing disbelief  of  God's  providential  care  over 
His  children  :  not  to  forbid  devout  supplica- 
tion, but  distrustful  solicitude,  about  the  ob- 
jects of  our  earthly  wants  and  wishes. 

For  this  purpose  he  appeals,  with  affect- 
ing beauty  of  language,  and  tenderness  of 
feeling,  to  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the 
flowers  of  the  field  ;  that  He  may  thus  carry 
home  to  our  hearts,  with  irresistible  demon- 


154  /VDDRESS    VII. 

stration,  the  precious  and  consolatory  as- 
surance, which  ought  to  dispel  all  our  anx- 
ieties and  alarms  about  our  earthly  wants, 
that  He  who  feeds  the  birds,  will  not  starve 
His  babes," — that  He  who  is  so  mindful  of 
sparrows,  will  not  be  unmindful  of  His  saints. 
And  when  our  Lord  desires  us,  because 
of  the  paramount  importance  of  eternal 
things,  to  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  His  righteousness,"  with  a  cheerful  as- 
surance that  to  those  who  do  so,  all  needful 
temporal  blessings  will  be  supplied,  (super- 
added, as  it  were,  to  the  spiritual  blessings 
so  abundantly  bestowed,)  this  by  no  means 
forbids,  but  rather  by  implication,  directs 
us,  secondly,  to  seek,  and,  therefore,  to  pray 
for,  those  inferior  blessings,  with  desires 
and  supplications  proportioned  to  their  in- 
ferior value.  Just  as  the  Redeemer's  com- 
mand, to  "  labour  not  for  the  meat  that  per- 
isheth,  but  for  that  which  endureth  to  ever- 
lasting life,"  does  not  imply  that  we  are  not 
to  labour  at  all  for  the  body's  necessary 
food,  but  only  that  we  should   labour  more 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.       155 

earnestly  for  the  spiritual  food  of  our  im- 
mortal souls !  The  design,  in  both  instances, 
is  manifesly  the  same — to  make  us  feel  the 
supreme,  the  infinite  importance  of  those 
things,  which  have  impressed  on  them  the 
stamp  of  eternity,  that  we  may  learn  to 
labour  for  them,  with  a  zeal  proportioned  to 
their  infinite  value  ;  and  to  pursue  all  tem- 
poral good  with  that  subordinate  solicitude, 
with  which  beings,  born  for  immortality, 
should  seek  any  object,  whose  value  is,  in 
the  light  of  eternity,  seen  to  be  of  compara- 
tively so  little  worth. 

We  see,  then,  that  this  passage,  (apparent- 
ly the  strongest  dissuasive  from  prayer  for 
temporal  blessings,)  is  only  designed,  when 
rightly  understood,  to  teach  the  children  of 
God  the  sweet  lesson  of  cheerful  trust  in 
their  heavenly  Father's  providential  bounty 
and  care,  as  pledged  to  supply  them  with  all 
needful  accommodations  for  their  journev 
through  the  wilderness,  to  their  inheritance 
above. 

But  though  not  prohibited,  are  we  w^ar- 


156  ADDRESS  vn. 

ranted,  by  scriptural  authority,  to  pray  for 
temporal  blessings  ? 

I  think  we  are,  and  by  an  authority  so  de- 
cisive, as  at  once  to  determine  the  point — 
the  authority  of  the  Author  and  Finisher  of 
our  faith. 

If  we  turn  to  that  brief,  but  most  beauti- 
ful prayer,  which  has  been  taught  us  by 
more  than  human  lips — that  divine  directory 
for  our  devotions,  which,  though  so  compen- 
dious in  substance,  is  yet  so  comprehensive 
in  spirit,  that  there  is  not,  perhaps,  a  petition 
w^e  can  suitably  present  to  God,  which  is 
not  reducible  under  the  head  of  some  one  of 
its  clauses,  we  shall  find,  (as  it  appears  to  me,) 
our  divine  Redeemer's  sanction,  for  making 
temporal  blessings  the  subject  of  supplication, 
in  the  clause — "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread." 

That  our  blessed  Lord  included,  in  this 
petition,  a  reference  to  our  spiritual  food, 
the  bread  of  life,  which  nourisheth  the  soul, 
may  be  fully  admitted  ;  as  also  that  He  de- 
signed to  remind  His  people,  that  they  as  in- 


PRAYER  rOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.  157 

dispensably  require  a  fresh  supply  of  this  ce- 
lestial food  each  day,  to  keep  the  soul  in 
spiritual  health  and  strength,  as  of  their  daily 
bread  for  the  support  of  their  natural  life. 
But  it  is  more  consistent  with  the  beautiful 
simplicity  of  our  Lord's  style,  to  conclude 
that,  in  its  primary  sense.  He  intended  us, 
by  this  petition,  to  lay  our  temporal  wantg 
before  our  heavenly  Father,  and  thus  to  look 
up  to  the  same  all-bounteous  hand,  to  supply 
both  our  temporal  and  spiritual  necessities ; 
that  so,  receiving  both  alike  from  the  same 
gracious  God,  they  may  both  draw  our  hearts 
closer,  by  the  threefold  cord  of  dependence, 
trust,  and  gratitude,  to  the  Giver  of  all  our 
blessings — the  Author  and  Sustainer  both  of 
our  natural  and  spiritual  life. 

'Tis  true — and  it  is  most  worthy  of  all  ob- 
servation, that  both  the  place  it  occupies,  and 
the  nature  of  the  petition  itself,  teach  us  to 
Dound  our  desires  and  supplications  for  tem- 
poral things,  within  the  limits  of  the  soberest 
moderation. 

When  we  consider  how  little  it  asks,  and 
14 


158  ADDRESS    VII. 

that  even  that  little  is  not  asked,  till  after  the 
heart  has  poured  forth  its  fervent  desires 
for  the  advancement  of  our  heavenly  Father's 
glory,  in  those  repeated  supplications — "Hal- 
lowed be  Thy  name  :  Thy  kingdom  come  : 
Thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heav- 
en:"  how  strikingly  are  we  taught,  that  the 
spirit  in  which  a  child  of  God  should  ap 
proach  his  heavenly  Father  in  prayer,  is  a 
spirit  of  supreme  solicitude  for  that  Father's 
glory,  absorbing  all  other  anxieties  and  aims, 
and  subordinating  to  this  grateful  feeling  all 
solicitude  or  supplication  about  our  own 
wishes  or  wants. 

It  seems  to  put  this  language  into  the  lips 
of  a  child  of  God,  when  coming  to  pour  out 
his  heart  in  prayer,  before  his  Father  in 
heaven — "  Oh  !  my  Father,  thou  knowest 
that  it  is  the  first,  the  dearest  desire  of  this 
heart,  that  Thy  name  may  be  hallowed  ; 
Thy  kingdom  come ;  Thy  will  be  done ! 
Thy  glory  is  far  dearer  to  me,  than  any  sep- 
arate or  selfish  interests  of  my  own.  This, 
therefore,  I  would  make  the  object  of  my 


PRAYER    FOR    TEMPORAL    BLESSINGS.   159 

first,  my  most  fervent  supplications.  If  this 
be  accomplished — if  Thy  glory,  O  my  Fa- 
ther, be  but  advanced,  in  the  wide-spread 
extension  of  thy  kingdom,  and  universal  and 
unlimited  obedience  to  Thy  w^ill,  in  earth 
and  heaven,  the  most  ardent  desires  of  this 
heart  are  abundantly  satisfied ;  and  as  for 
myself,  all  I  ask  is — Give  me,  this  day,  my 
daily  bread  !" 

Oh,  surely,  w^hen  we  thus  contrast  the 
priority  of  place,  and  fervency  and  frequen- 
cy of  entreaty,  distinguishing  the  petitions 
for  the  advancement  of  God's  glory,  with 
the  simple  supplication  subjoined — "  Give 
me  my  daily  bread  !"  are  we  not  forcibly  re- 
minded, that  when  our  heavenly  Father's 
honour  is  concerned,  we  should  be  indeed, 
ambitious  ;  and  our  desires  should  burn  with 
intense  ardour  ;  and  our  supplications  be  en- 
larged, and  importunate,  and  persevering  ; 
but  where  our  own  wants  or  wishes  are  con- 
cerned, we  should  be  most  unambitious,  and 
oui  desires  be  bounded  by  simplicity  and 
moderation,  and  our  supplications  be  propor- 


160  ADDRESS    VII. 

tionably  simple  and  moderate.  But  still, 
does  not  this  very  petition,  while  it  suggests 
the  spirit  in  which  we  should  pray  for  tem- 
poral blessings,  supply  us  with  a  scriptural 
warrant  for  such  prayers  ?  And  does  not 
the  petition  thus  understood,  afford  a  most 
beautiful  commentary  on  those  words  of  our 
blessed  Lord,  to  which  we  have  before  ad- 
verted, as  containing,  in  the  opinion  of  some, 
a  dissuasive  from  prayer  for  temporal  bles- 
sings— "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  His  righteousness,  and  all  these  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you  ?" 

Does  not  this  clause  in  the  Lord's  prayer 
give  us  His  own  divine  comment  on  His  own 
injunction ;  and  tell  us  that,  while  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  His  righteousness,  and  His 
glory,  should  be  sought  by  us,  as  objects  of 
prime  and  paramount  solicitude,  (because  of 
their  prime  and  paramount  glory  in  them- 
selves, and  value  to  us  as  destined  for  im- 
mortality.) still  may  those  temporal  blessings, 
of  which  our  heavenly  Father  knoweth  we 
have  need,  be  desired  and  supplicated  but. 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.       161 

only  with  that  strictly  subordinate  measure 
of  interest,  which  is  suitable  to  their  alto- 
gether subordinate  value. 

This  petition  seems  to  determine  the  point 
in  question,  because,  though  the  thing  suppli- 
cated be  but  daily  bread,  to  intimate  with 
how  small  a  portion  of  this  world's  goods  the 
children  of  God  should  be  content,  still  does 
it  fully  sanction  the  principle,  that  we  are 
permitted  to  make  temporal  blessings  the 
subject  of  supplication. 

To  this  I  will  only  subjoin,  by  way  of  con- 
firmation, the  apostolical  injunction — "  Be 
careful  for  nothing;  but  in  all  things,  by 
prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving, 
let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God.'* 

Observe  in  all  things  without  limitation 
or  exception  ;  all  things — temporal  and  spirit- 
ual— all  things  connected  with  the  concerns 
and  interests  both  of  time  and  eternity. 

Now  two    important  advantages  appear 
to  result  from  being  thus  privileged,  in  re- 
gard to  temporal,  as  well  as  spiritual  things, 
to  make  our  requests  known  unto  God. 
14* 


162  ADDRESS  vn. 

The  first,  is,  that  it  supplies  a  most  valua- 
ble directoiy  for  the  regulation  of  our  desires, 
in  all  temporal  matters.  A  child  of  God 
could  not  adopt  a  safer  rule,  on  this  subject, 
than  never  to  loisli  for  any  thing,  for  which 
he  could  not  properlypr«y — never  to  cherish 
a  desire,  which  he  could  not  convert  into  a 
prayer. 

It  were  a  waste  of  time  to  multiply  w^ords 
in  proving,  how  this  cuts  up  by  the  root,  at 
once,  all  sinful  desires  ;  all  such  as  have  for 
their  object  any  forbidden  indulgence — any 
gratification,  incompatible  with  the  character 
of  a  christian,  as  being  opposed  to  the  will 
and  word  of  God.  Only  think,  how  horri- 
ble even  to  glance  at  the  idea  of  asking  the 
pure,  and  righteous,  and  loving  God,  to  en- 
able us  to  gratify  some  impure  desire,  or 
succeed  in  some  fraudulent  speculation,  or 
accomplish  some  revengeful  plan. 

The  spirit  of  this  observation  will  apply 
to  all  inordinate  desires,  whether  prompted 
by  ambition,  covetousness,  or  that  most 
subtle  and  seductive  sin,  to  whose  snares  the 


PRAYER  FOR   TEMPORAL   BLESSINGS.    163 

children  of  God  are  especially  exposed — 
idolatrous  affection. 

Picture  to  your  mind  a  child  of  God  pray- 
ing to  his  heavenly  Father,  to  indulge  him 
in  such  desires  as  these ;  t'o  raise  him  to 
some  exalted  station,  that  his  pride  may  be 
gratified,  by  his  being  admired  and  applauded 
among  his  fellow  men ;  or  to  lavish  on  him 
abundant  wealth,  that  he  may  possess  the 
means  of  plunging  deeper  into  worldly  lux- 
uries, and  sensual  enjoyments ;  or  to  render 
him  an  object  of  idolatrous  love  to  some  fel- 
low-creature, to  whom  he  may  be  allowed, 
as  a  supreme  source  of  hope  and  happiness, 
to  stand  in  God's  stead.  You  feel  how  you 
would  shrink  from  offering  up  such  prayers. 
Then  equally  shrink  from  indulging  such  de- 
sires. 

In  truth,  you  may  at  once  determine  the 
lawfulness  of  any  desire,  by  bringing  it  to 
the  test  of  this  spiritual  touchstone. 

Just  consider  for  a  moment,  can  you  come 
mto  your  heavenly  Father's  presence,  with 
an   assured    heart,    and    cheerful   courage, 


164  ADDRESS     VII. 

grounded  on  the  warrant  of  His  revealed 
will  and  word,  to  ask  Him  to  give  you  the 
desire  of  your  heart.  If  you  can,  it  is  quite 
compatible  with  your  character,  as  a  child 
of  God,  to  cherish  that  desire.  But  if  there 
be  anything,  either  in  the  object  it&el»f,  or  the 
circumstances  connected  with  it,  or  the 
means  necessary  for  its  attainment,  which 
makes  you  pause,  and  feel  uncomfortable 
and  reluctant  at  the  thought  of  bringing  the 
matter  in  prayer  before  God,  and  asking 
what  you  wish  for,  at  His  hands,  then  should 
you  suspect  the  lawfulness  of  such  a  desire  ; 
and  in  this  case,  you  should  examine  it 
more  closely  in  the  light  of  Scripture,  and 
weigh  it  more  carefully  in  the  balance  of 
the  sanctuary,  with  an  honest  determina- 
tion, (formed  in  humble  reliance  on  divine 
strength,)  to  abide  by  the  result  of  this  scrip- 
tural investigation.  And  if  your  desire  be 
found  wanting  in  any  essential  qualification, 
which  characterizes  such  as  are  suitable  to  a 
child  of  God,  then  be  it  even  dear  to  you  as  a 
right  hand,  or  a  right  eye,  cut  it  off — pluck 


PRAYER  FOR    TEMPORAL   BLESSINGS.    165 

it  out — cast  it  away  from  you.  And  if  you 
make  this  sacrifice,  in  a  spirit  of  grateful  sub- 
mission and  love  to  God,  oh !  will  you  not 
be  abundantly  recompensed  for  any  earthly 
enjoyment  you  may  give  up,  when  you  hear 
His  voice  saying  to  you — "Because  thou 
hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  withheld 
this  darling  desire  of  thine  heart  from  me, 
but  hast  cheerfully  sacrificed  it  for  my  sake, 
and  at  my  command,  therefore,  blessing  I 
will  bless  thee,  saith  God,  even  thy  God." 

The  second  advantage  that  results  from 
making  all  our  requests,  in  all  things,  known 
unto  God,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with 
thanksgiving,  is,  that  it  supplies  the  most  ef- 
fectual antidote  to  that  feverish  thirst,  that 
fretful  solicitude,  about  earthly  enjoyments, 
and  earthly  cares,  which  so  constantly  agi- 
tate and  harass  the  children  of  the  world — 
making  their  hearts  like  the  troubled  sea, 
that  cannot  rest ;  and  which  too  often,  alas  ! 
are  allowed  to  disturb  the  peace  even  of  the 
children  of  God  :  distracting  with  agitating 
anxiety  those  bosoms,  which  ought  ever  to 


166  ADDRESS     VII. 

exhibit  a  tranquillity,  as  unruffled  as  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  placid  lake,  when  the 
moonbeams  are  sleeping  on  its  peaceful  bo- 
som, and  not  a  breath  of  wind  is  abroad,  to 
disturb  its  deep  repose.  Is  not  this  the  state 
of  mind,  which  a  child  of  God  is  privileged 
to  possess,  when  he  reflects,  that  if  the  com- 
bined exertions  of  all  the  glorious  attributes  of 
the  Godhead,  which  all  are  solemnly  pledged, 
and  unceasingly  employed  on  his  behalf) 
can  secure  his  happiness  both  for  time  and 
eternity,  then  is  his  happiness  as  secure,  in 
the  hands  of  the  God  of  his  salvation,  as  his 
heart  could  possibly  desire. 

Is  not  this  what  the  apostle  meant,  when 
he  said — "Be  careful  for  nothing?"  And 
having  recommended  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion, with  thanksgiving,  as  a  divine  remedy 
for  all  carefulness,  does  he  not  represent,  as 
the  blessed  result  of  following  his  prescrip- 
tion, the  enjoyment  of  that  peace,  which  no 
worldly  joys  can  ever  give,  and  (blessed  be 
God  !)  no  worldly  sorrows  can  ever  take 
aw^ay  ? — "  Let  your  requests,  in  all  things. 


PRAYER   FOR  TEMPORAL   BLESSINGS.     1G7 

be  made  known  unto  God ;  and  the  peace 
of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding, 
shall  keep  your  heart  and  mind,  through 
Christ  Jesus?" 

Yes  !  believer,  follow  this  one  rule  faith- 
fully !  and  you  will  have  as  much  of  heaven 
on  earth,  as  can  possibly  be  enjoyed. 

Oh  !  it  is  strange,  it  is  surpassingly  strange, 
that  when  the  children  of  God  are  privileged 
to  get  rid  of  all  care,  by  casting  it  all  on  God, 
rolling  over  the  whole  burthen  of  it  on  His 
almighty  arm,  and  so  might  travel  on  to  His 
house  in  heaven,  with  a  light  step,  and  a 
lighter  heart — unencumbered  by  a  single  so- 
licitude about  temporal  things  ;  they  are  yet 
so  enamoured  of  earthly  sorrow — so  averse 
to  the  enjoyment  of  heavenly  peace,  that 
they  prefer  dragging  on  the  galling  chain  of 
worldly  anxiety,  which  so  clogs  and  fetters 
their  every  step,  in  running  the  race  set  be- 
fore them,  making  them  so  often  halt,  and 
stumble  on  the  way. 

Strange,  is  it  not,  that  God  should  be  so 
tenderly — so  affectionately  solicitous,  that  His 


168  ADDRESS    VII. 

children  should  enjoy  uninterrupted  peace 
by  reposing,  in  a  spirit  of  faithful  careless- 
ness, on  His  own  faithfulness,  wisdom,  power, 
and  love ;  and  that  they  should  be  so  reluc- 
tant to  be  as  happy,  as  their  heavenly  Fa- 
ther wishes  them  to  be  ? 

Now,  for  the  maintenance  of  that  blessed 
frame  of  mind,  which  makes  the  breast 
where  it  reigns  a  very  miniature  of  heaven,  I 
know  nothing  more  calculated,  under  the 
divine  blessing,  to  be  efficacious,  than  the 
habit  recommended  by  the  apostle,  of  mak- 
ing our  requests,  in  all  things,  known  unto 
God. 

It  is  such  a  sweet  feeling,  to  be  allowed 
to  treat  the  blessed  God  with  all  the  endear- 
ing freedom  and  confidence  of  filial  love — 
to  tell  Him  all  that  is  in  our  hearts — to 
spread  out  before  Him  every  wish  that  is 
cherished  there — and  to  ask  from  Him 
everything  that  we  think  is  calculated  to 
promote  our  happiness,  in  the  sweet  assur- 
ance that,  if  for  our  real  good.  He  will  most 
gladly  grant  us  the  desire  of  our  heart. 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.  1G9 

It  does  so  unburthen  the  heart  of  its  load 
of  solicitude,  to  take  and  fling  the  whole 
weight  of  it  on  the  arm  of  God.  It  does  so 
tranquillize  our  spirits,  to  unbosom  all  their 
most  secret  feelings  to  the  Father  of  spirits, 
in  the  humble  confidence — the  holy  freedom 
of  filial  aflfection,  and  fervent  prayer. 

Having,  then  weighed  your  desires  in  the 
balance  of  the  sanctuary,  and  ascertained 
that  they  are  such,  as  you  can  consistently 
present  before  God,  always  bring  them  be- 
fore Him,  in  prayer  and  supplication  with 
thanksgiving. 

Make  your  request  fully  known  to  Him — 
lay  the  whole  case  unreservedly  before  Him 
— relieve  your  full  heart,  by  pouring  out  all 
its  wishes  into  your  heavenly  Father's  ears ; 
and  then,  leave  the  matter  cheerfully  and 
confidingly  in  His  hands.  And  you  may  rest 
assured  that  if  what  you  desire,  and  have 
asked  for,  will  really  conduce  to  your  true — 
that  is  your  spiritual  and  eternal  welfare, 
God  will  as  freely  give  it  to  you,  as  he  freely 
gave  His  own  Son. 

15 


170  ADDRESS     VII. 

But  never  forget,  how  utterly  incompe- 
tent you  are  to  form  a  correct  judgment  of 
what,  in  temporal  things,  is  really  best  for 
you ;  how  prone  you  are  to  be  deceived  by 
false  appearances  of  seeming  good ;  how 
totally  ignorant  you  are  of  the  results  to 
your  spiritual  interests,  that  would  attend 
the  attainment  of  your  earthly  wishes. 

Of  all  this  you  are  ignorant,  but  your 
God  is  not.  Leave  it  therefore  to  Him  to 
choose  for  you.  Remember  how  often,  if 
your  own  choice  had  been  allowed  you,  and 
the  desires  of  your  heart  granted,  you  would 
have  been  utterly  ruined,  as  to  your  present 
peace,  if  not  your  etei-nal  prospects.  Oh  ! 
learn  wisdom  for  the  future,  from  the  ex- 
perience of  the  past.  Whenever  God'sjudg- 
ment  and  will  run  counter  to  yours,  with  re- 
gard to  some  desired  object  which  you  have 
asked,  as  thinking  it  would  ensure  your  hap- 
piness, but  which  He  refuses,  accustom  your- 
self to  say — "JTe  knows  best"  Trust  me, 
there  is  in  those  three  short  words,  repeated 
in  faith  and  resignation,   a   sacred   charm. 


PRAYER   FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSlxXGS.      171 

which  can  allay  the  most  distracting  anxieties 
— reconcile  a  believer's  mind  to  the  bitter- 
est disappointments,  and  enable  him  to  re- 
ceive, with  a  calm,  and  even  a  cheerful 
smile,  the  refusal  of  his  fondest  earthly 
wishes — the  blighting  of  his  dearest  earthly 
hopes. 

Whenever,  therefore,  your  heavenly  Fa- 
ther refuses  your  request  for  any  earthly 
object,  say  to  yourself,  "  Because  He  loves 
me.  He  refuses  to  give  me,  what  He  knows 
Satan  would  render  a  successful  snare,  to 
seduce  me  into  sin.  My  Father  sees  the 
lurking  mischief  in  the  object  of  my  wishes, 
which  I  cannot  detect — the  serpent  con- 
cealed amidst  the  flowers,  which  strew 
the  path  I  would  so  delight  to  tread — the 
secret  poison,  mingled  in  the  sparkling 
draught,  which  I  so  desire  to  drink — and, 
therefore,  in  the  very  faithfulness  and  ten- 
derness of  His  love.  He  shields  me  from  the 
dangers,  and  saves  me  from  the  ruin,  I 
neither  see  nor  fear,  by   denying  requests, 


172  ADDRESS    VII. 

which  it  would  be  criiehy  to  my  soul  to 
grant." 

May  you  not,  in  this,  learn  a  lesson  from 
an  earthly  parent's  love  ?  Suppose  you 
were  walking  in  the  fields  with  a  beloved 
child,  and  that  he,  tempted  by  the  beautiful 
aspect  of  some  poison  berries,  were  eagerly 
to  entreat  of  you  to  gather  them,  and  give 
them  to  him  to  eat :  would  a  father's  love 
allow  you  to  comply  with  his  request  ?  And 
if  he  persevered  in  his  entreaty,  yea,  even 
if  he  asked  you  with  pleading  tears,  would 
you  be  acting  a  father's  part,  if  you  were  to 
yield  to  the  eagerness  of  his  desire,  and  the 
importunity  of  his  supplication,  and  give 
him  the  poisoned  fruit  ? 

And  shall  your  heavenly  Father  be  ex- 
pected to  act  a  part,  the  bare  supposition  of 
which  would  be  so  deep  an  insult  to  an 
earthly  Father's  love  ? 

But  even  admit,  what  you  desire  is  not 
poisoned  pleasures,  but  pure  and  legitimate 
enjoyments — such  as  He  permits,  and  could 
be  asked  to  hallow  and  bless  ;  still  they  may 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.       173 

be  utterly  unfit  for  you.  You  could  not, 
perhaps,  from  your  peculiar  temperament 
and  bias,  be  safely  trusted  with  them : 
would  it  then  be  kindness  in  God  to  give 
what.  He  knew,  would  hurt  your  soul  ? 

If  you  had  a  child,  whose  delicate  consti- 
tution rendered  sweet-meats  injurious  to 
his  health,  and  tonic  bitters  indispensable,  to 
brace  his  debilitated  frame,  which  would  a 
father's  love  prompt  you  to  give  your 
child  ?  what  would  gratify  his  palate,  or 
what  would  promote  his  health? 

Alas !  the  children  of  God  are  indeed 
little  capable,  even  in  their  healthiest  state, 
of  digesting  the  cloying  sweets  of  worldly 
ease,  and  earthly  enjoyment.  They  require, 
much  more,  the  strengthening  bitters  of 
affliction,  to  give  tone  and  vigour  to  their 
spiritual  frame,  and  fit  it  for  active  exertion 
in  the  service  of  their  God.  But  of  this 
they  may  be  assured,  that,  as  their  heavenly 
Physician  is  their  heavenly  Father  too,  He 
will  not  make  the  cup,  in  the  smallest  de- 
gree, unnecessarily  bitter  ;  but  will  propor- 
15* 


174  ADDRESS  vn. 

tion  it,  with  equal  tenderness  and  skill,  to 
the  constitution  of  the  children  of  His  love  ; 
for  he  knows  their  frame,  their  malady,  and 
the  only  means  of  cure ;  knows  all  this, 
with  infallible  certainty — and  surely  should 
not  be  suspected  of  deriving  a  cruel  plea- 
sure, from  putting  his  children  to  unnecessary 
pain.  So  that  they  should  cheerfully  say, 
however  bitter  the  draught  He  has  pre- 
pared— "The  cup  which  my  Father  hath 
given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?" 

There  is  another  train  of  thought,  that 
will  tend  much  to  reconcile  you  to  the  re- 
fusal of  your  prayers  for  any  temporal  bles- 
sings, by  confirming  the  assurance  that  they 
are  refused  by  your  heavenly  Father  in  lov- 
ing-kindness to  your  soul. 

Habituate  yourself  to  view  them  in  the 
light  of  Eternity,  that  you  may  not  rate 
them  above  their  real  value,  or  desire  them 
w^ith  an  eagerness,  disproportioned  to  their 
worth. 

Compare  them  with  the  spiritual  blessings 
of  the  everlasting  covenant ;  and  must  you 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.   175 

not  confess  that  the  most  precious  of  them 
are,  at  best,  but  precious  trifles,  when  com- 
pared with  these  ? 

I  do  not  deny  that  health,  competence, 
worldly  comforts,  domestic  happiness,  are 
in  themselves  desirable  and  valuable  ;  but 
what  are  they,  compared  with  the  pardon 
of  sin — the  sanctification  of  the  soul — the 
restoration  to  the  divine  favour — the  re- 
newal in  the  divine  Image — the  love  of 
Christ — the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost — 
the  means  of  grace — and  the  hope  of  glory  1 

Will  He  who  has  given  you  the  greater, 
withhold  from  you  the  less,  if  they  would 
indeed  be  blessings  to  your  soul  ? 

You  desire,  and  with  cheerful  submission 
ask  from  God,  some  temporal  blessing — the 
realization  of  some  darling  scheme,  round 
which  you  have  fondly  twined  your  dearest 
hopes  of  earthly  happiness.  God  refuses  it 
to  your  prayers.  Why?  Because  it  is  too 
great  a  blessing  for  Him  to  bestow  ?  In- 
deed !  Do  you  really  mean  to  say  so  ? 
What !  does  it,  in  the  eternal  Father's  esti- 


176  ADDRESS    VII. 

malion — yea,  or  in  our  own — exceed  in  pre- 
ciousness  His  own,  His  only  Son  ?  Do  you 
rate  it  above  Christ?  Does  it  transcend 
God's  well-beloved  Son  in  worth?  Now 
God  gave  Him  for  you  ;  liow  then  shall  He 
not,  if  for  your  good,  give  the  other  too  ? 
Still,  you  plead,  the  blessing  you  desire  is 
very  precious  !  Granted !  But  does  it,  in 
value,  exceed  "  the  inheritance  among  the 
saints  in  light,  incorruptible  and  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away  ?"  Now  God  has 
reserved  this  in  heaven  for  you ;  and  can 
He  then  deem  the  other  too  great  a  blessing 
to  bestow  ?  For  shame  !  believer,  to  rate 
your  heavenly  inheritance,  Esau-like,  below 
a  mess  of  pottage.  The  great  God  our 
Saviour,  the  Giver  of  all,  gave  Himself  for 
you ;  and  yet,  you  think  He  grudges  you 
some  trifling  earthly  gift,  as  a  token  of  His 
love.  Why,  what  was  the  sin  of  Judas? 
He  valued  Jesus  less  than  thirty  pieces  of 
silver  !  Oh  1  have  you  never  seemed  to  esti- 
mate the  Saviour,  at  as  low  a  price  ?  Does 
not  a  spirit  of  repining   or  distrust,  because 


PRAYER  FOR  TEMPORAL  BLESSINGS.      177 

any  earthly  object  of  desire  is  denied,  while 
you  profess  to  believe,  that  in  the  bound- 
lessness of  His  love,  i\\e  eternal  Father 
spared  not  his  own  Son — does  not,  I  say, 
such  a  spirit  approximate  towards  a  Judas' 
valuation  of  the  Saviour's  worth  ?  And  oh  I 
how  should  this  thought  make  you  shudder, 
at  the  most  distant  approach  towards  over- 
valuing earthly  blessings,  and  undervaluing 
the  well-beloved  Son  of  God. 

I  have  dwelt  the  more  anxiously  on  this 
point,  because  there  is,  on  this  subject,  the 
strangest  inconsistency  in  many  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  They  are  willing  to  trust  God 
with  the  vast  concerns  of  their  immortal 
souls  for  everlasting  ages,  but  reluctant  to 
trust  Him  with  the  petty  concerns  of  their 
perishable  bodies,  for  a  few  years,  or  it  may 
be  hours.  They  thankfully  believe,  that  He 
will  dehght  to  make  them  perfectly  happy, 
throughout  eternity  ;  and  yet  appear  to  sus- 
pect, that  He  is  unconcerned  about  their 
happiness   now  ;  yea,  that  He  even  visits 


178  ADDRESS     VII. 

them  with  trials  and  afflictions,  superfluously 
severe. 

Now  really  can  it  be  imagined  that  God 
at  an  infinite  cost,  even  at  the  price  of  the 
blood  of  His  own  Son,  has  provided  for  the 
adopted  children  of  His  love  an  eternal  in- 
heritance of  inconceivable  blessedness  and 
glory  in  heaven  ;  and  yet  will  neglect  to  fur- 
nish them  with  all  needful  supplies  and  com- 
forts, on  their  way  through  this  world's  wil- 
derness, to  take  possession  of  their  inherit- 
ance above  ? 

But  perhaps  unbelief  will  suggest  the 
thought — Is  it  not  altogether  incompatible 
with  the  infinite  majesty  of  the  Almighty,  to 
take  any  interest  in  such  contemptible  trifles, 
as  the  temporal  concerns  of  poor,  perishing 
worms  of  the  dust  ? 

Indeed  !  Then  what  meant  the  Son  of 
God,  when  He  said — "  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  all  numbered."  Why  did  he  fasten 
on  a  circumstance,  of  all  conceivable  ones 
the  most  utterly  unimportant  to  our  weal  or 
woe — the  number  of  the  hairs  of  our  head  ? 


PRAYER   FOR    TEMPORAL    BLESSINGS.     179 

Why  select  such  an  image — such  an  expres- 
sion as  this  ?  Was  it  not  to  say  to  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  in  a  language  so  emphatically 
strong  and  endearing,  that  one  might  have 
thought  it  would  have  been  found  sufficient 
to  overcome  the  unbelieving  distrust  of  the 
most  incredulous,  or  the  diffident  fears  of 
the  most  timid — "Believe  me  there  is  no 
circumstance  connected  with  your  welfare, 
either  for  time  or  eternity,  which  your 
Heavenly  Father  deems  too  trivial — too  mi- 
nute, to  be  placed  within  the  sphere  of 
His  directing  superintendence,  and  watchful 
care." 

Oh  !  not  for  the  wealth  of  ten  thousand 
worlds,  would  I  give  up  the  blessed  assur- 
ance, which  this  sweetest  expression  war- 
rants me  to  cherish,  that  the  minutest  events 
of  my  life,  (if  I  am  a  child  of  God,  by  a  liv- 
ing faith  in  His  dear  Son,)  the  exact  measure 
of  health  or  sickness,  comforts,  or  cares — 
the  precise  proportion  of  earthly  joys  and 
earthly  sorrows — the  fulfilment  or  frustra- 
tion of  my  dearest  earthly  hopes — all,  all  are 


180  ADDRESS  vn. 

arranged  for  me,  with  the  tenderest  regard 
to  my  weakness,  and  the  kindest  adaptation 
to  my  wants,  and  the  wisest  consultation  for 
my  welfare,  by  Him,  the  infinitude  of  whose 
love  for  me,  when  I  look  at  the  cross,  1  vain- 
ly endeavour  to  grasp,  and  can  only  look 
there,  and  weep^  and  wonder,  and  adore. 

Whenever,  therefore,  child  of  God,  you 
feel  tempted  to  repine,  because  your  prayers 
for  some  earthly  object  of  desire  are  denied, 
just  reflect,  if  your  God  were  to  give  you 
the  choice  of  two  plans  for  the  future  ar- 
rangement of  the  events  of  your  life,  which 
of  them  would  you  prefer.  Either  to  con- 
tinue to  keep  it  in  His  own  hands,  and,  while 
giving  you  the  privilege  of  making  oil  your 
requests  known  unto  Him,  in  prayer,  to  re- 
serve to  Himself  the  prerogative  of  putting 
His  veto  on  such,  as  He  knew  would  prove 
injurious  to  your  eternal  welfare — or,  to 
promise,  that,  for  the  future,  he  would  en- 
trust the  guardianship  over  your  affairs  into 
your  own  hands,  and  immediately  grant 
vour  every  request,  without  limitation  or  re- 


PRAYER  FOR   TEMPORAL    /5ii<.FMrtO>.,     i81 

serve,  oh  !  could  you  be  mad  enouorh  w  he- 
sitate, for  one  second,  which  of  tho-jo  two 
plans  to  prefer  ? 

Do  you  know  so  little  of  your  own  heart's 
deceitful ness,  or  Satan's  wiles,  as  not  to  fear, 
that  thus  left  to  choose  for  yourself,  God's 
unreserved  compliance  with  your  every  re- 
quest would  prove  your  ruin  ?  Because,  in 
your  blindness,  you  would  be  in  fearful  dan- 
ger of  not  only  plunging  yourself  into  inex- 
tricable trials  and  miseries  upon  earth,  but 
even  plunging  yourself,  soul  and  body,  into 
the  intolerable  and  unending  torments  of  hell. 

Bless  God,  then,  that  you  are  not  left  to 
choose  or  arrange  for  yourself;  but  that  He 
vouchsafes,  in  His  Intinite  condescension  and 
love,  to  take  the  guidance  and  guardianship 
of  your  life  into  His  own  hands.  Dwell,  re- 
joicingly and  thankfully,  on  the  contempla- 
tion of  those  thi^ee  attributes,  whose  union 
in  your  covenant-God  secures  your  happi- 
ness, beyond  the  possibility  of  chance  or 
change  ;  a  wisdom  that  nothing  can  deceive 


16 


182  ADDRESS     VII. 

— a  power  that  nothing  can  resist — a  love 
that  nothing  can  exhaust. 

Meditate  upon  these,  till  they  have  infused 
into  you  such  a  sweet contentedness  to  "lie 
passive  in  the  hands  of  God,  having  no  will 
but  His  ;"  that  the  peace  of  God  will  descend 
from  above,  and  settle  on  your  soul,  dispel- 
ling the  dark  clouds  of  earthly  disquietude 
and  care — and  driving  away  from  the  hal- 
lowed breast,  where  it  sheds  the  sweetest 
foretastes  of  heaven,  every  anxiety,  except 
the  anxiety  to  please  the  God  of  your  salva- 
tion ;  every  fear,  except  the  fear  of  offending 
Him  ;  every  solicitude,  except  the  solicitude 
•to  promote  His  glory. 

And  when  once  this  supreme  solicitude  to 
glorify  God  is  triumphantly  established  as 
the  master-passion  of  the  soul,  the  regulator 
of  all  its  desires,  the  main-spring  of  all  its 
movements,  then  are  all  the  principles  and 
powers  of  the  mysterious  mechanism  of  our 
spiritual  frame  harmoniously  balanced  and 
arranged.  Each  part,  from  the  mightiest 
wheel  to  the  minutest  pivot,  is  in  its  proper 


PRAYER   FOR    TEMPORAL   BLESSINGS.     183 

place  and  directed  to  its  proper  end ;  and 
that  end,  the  very  noblest  to  which  the  high- 
est archangel  can  aspire — the  advancement 
of  the  glory  of  God. 

Assuredly,  then,  if  we  are  ambitious  to  at- 
tain, on  earth,  to  something  of  angelic  bliss, 
we  must  learn  in  this  to  copy  the  angelic 
character,  and  seek  our  supreme  felicity  in 
glorifying  God. 


ADDRESS  VIII. 


ON  INTERCESSORY  PRAYER, 

"  1  exhort,  therefore,  that  first  of  all,  supplications, 
prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for 
all  men."— 1  Tim,  ii.  1. 

"  Pray  one  for  another."  — James  v.  16. 
"  Brethren,  pray  for  us." — 1  Thes.  v.  25. 

There  is  one  species  of  prayer,  to  which 
we  have  not  yet  adverted,  which,  in  its  con- 
stitution, bears  such  an  unequivocal  impress 
01  the  character  of  that  ''  God  who  is  love," 
and  in  Scripture,  is  honoured  with  such 
peculiar  marks  of  His  approbation — one, 
which  contains  such  abundant  and  gracious 
provision  for  giving  a  safe  direction,  and 
sweet  expression,  to  our  fondest  affections  ; 
and  has  such  a  powerful  tendency  to  cherish 
every  benevolent,  expand  every  generous, 
rebuke  every  selfish,  and  utterly  eradicate 


3N    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  185 

every  resentful  feeling  of  our  nature,  that  I 
cannot  conclude  these  imperfect  observa- 
tions on  devotional  communion  with  God, 
without  touching  on  one  of  its  most  delight- 
ful branches — intercessory  prayer. 

Its  value  will  be  appreciated  when  we 
consider  how  prominent  a  place,  in  the  con- 
stitution of  our  nature,  has  been  assigned  by 
its  Divine  Author,  to  the  affections  which 
link  us  so  closely  together,  in  all  those  en- 
dearing ties  of  earthly  love,  for  which 
"  home  is  a  name  so  dear  :"  and  when  we 
reflect  how  much  of  our  happiness  or 
misery  depends  on  the  due  regulation,  and 
legitimate  indulgence,  of  those  affections; 
and  also,  how  fatally  prone  we  are  to  in- 
dulge them  to  an  idolatrous  excess,  and  thus 
defeat  the  gracious  purpose  for  which  they 
were  bestowed,  perverting  what  God  de- 
signed for  a  blessing  into  a  curse.  Surely,, 
then,  it  bears  a  special  stamp  of  the  loving- 
kindness  of  our  God,  that  He  should  have 
provided  in  intercessory  prayer,  a  way,  by 
which  the  poisonous  sting  of  idolatrous  love 
16* 


186  ADDRESS   Till. 

may  be  extracted  from  our  hearts,  and  a 
channel  opened,  in  which  our  affections  may 
not  merely  flow  with  safety  to  our  spiritual 
welfare,  but  become  a  medium  of  convey- 
ing to  our  souls  a  rich  supply  of  spiritual 
blessings. 

Yes,  it  is  sweet  to  think  that  there  is  one 
place,  at  least,  even  before  a  throne  of 
grace,  where  our  love  for  those,  twined 
round  our  heart-strings,  cannot  be  too 
warmly,  or  tenderly  cherished  ;  where  the 
ilanguage  of  its  fond  and  fervent  feelings 
cannot  be  breathed  forth  with  too  intense 
an  ardour  of  affection,  or  earnestness  of 
intreaty;  where  all  our  happiness,  connected 
with  the  objects  of  our  love,  if  they  are  fel- 
ilow  sharers  with  us  in  a  Saviour's  love,  can 
catch  a  glow  of  celestial  radiance  from  that 
.'Saviour's  smile;  and  all  our  anxieties  on 
their  behalf  be  lulled  to  rest,  by  being  re- 
posed in  the  bosom  of  their  Father,  and  our 
IFather — their  God  and  our  God. 

Nor  is  it  one  of  the  least  decisive,  or  de- 
lightful, of  those  distinguishing  marks,  by 


ON     INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  187 

which  the  children  of  God  may  be  discrimi- 
nated from  the  children  of  the  world,  and 
their  immeasurable  superiority  over  them, 
in  all  the  materials  for  true  happiness,  dis- 
played ;  that  while,  with  the  latter,  all  the  en- 
joyments flowing  from  the  affections  are  but 
so  many  idolatrous  enticements  to  seduce — 
and  all  the  anxieties  awakened  by  them  but 
so  many  corroding  cares  to  alienate,  their 
hearts  from  God  ;  these  both  are  instrumen- 
tal, through  the  medium  of  intercessory 
prayer,  in  drawing  the  hearts  of  the  children 
of  God  closer  to  their  Father  in  heaven,  as 
the  sanctifiei  of  all  their  affections,  the  sweet- 
ener of  all  their  happiness,  and  the  soother 
of  all  their  careso 

For,  by  the  gracious  arrangement  which 
has  appointed  that,  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  intercessory  prayer,  we  may  become, 
in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  benefactors  to 
those  we  love.by  obtaining  for  them  supplies 
of  spiritual  blessings  from  our  Divine  Bene- 
factor, we  are  reminded,  that  the  surest  and 
strongest  expression  of  our  love  for  them 


188  ADDRESS    VIII. 

is  that  which  draws  both  them  and  us  nearer 
to  God.  Thus,  the  more  tenderly  we  arc 
tauoht  to  love  those  for  whom  we  intercede, 
the  more  gratefully  do  we  learn  to  love  Him, 
to  whom  our  intercessory  supplications  are 
addressed.  The  deeper  sense  we  have  of 
our  obligations  to  each  other  for  the  blessings 
obtained  through  our  mutual  intercession, 
we  but  feel  a  deeper  sense  of  the  infinite 
obligations  we  all  owe  to  Him,  by  whom 
all  those  blessings  are  bestowed. 

Surely  on  this  arrangement  is  legibly  im- 
pressed the  stamp  of  heaven,  with  those  pre- 
cious words — "  God  is  love," 

And  oh  !  it  is  only  those  that  have  ex- 
perienced, who  can  at  all  appreciate,  what 
a  healing  balm  intercessory  prayer  pours 
into  the  bleeding  heart  of  a  child  of  God,  w^ho 
is  mourning  over  unconverted  relatives,  link- 
ed round  his  affections  by  the  closest  and 
most  endearing  ties  of  earthly  love.  How 
it  supports  and  comforts  him,  under  his 
otherwise  overwhelming  weight  of  anguish 
on  their  account,  to  bring  them  in  the  arms 


ON    INTERCESSORY     PRAYER.  189 

of  faith  and  prayer  to  Him,  who  can  breathe 
into  their  souls  that  spiritual  life,  to  which  as 
yet  they  are  strangers,  and  draw  them  to 
Himself,  by  the  sweet  attractions  of  redeem- 
ing love  !  What  precious  consolation  it  im- 
parts, to  confide  this  bitterest  of  earthly  sor- 
rows to  a  compassionate  Father's  ears,  and  to 
be  cheered  by  the  delicious  hope,  that  He 
may,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  hear  and  grant 
the  prayer  of  interceding  supplication,  on 
their  behalf,  and,  by  His  Divine  Spirit,  in- 
fuse into  their  souls  a  living,  sanctifying 
faith ;  kindle  in  their  hearts  the  glow  of 
gratitude  to  a  Saviour- God,  and  make  them 
partakers  of  all  the  inestimable  blessings  of 
His  great  salvation !  Yes !  when  faithful 
remonstrance,  affectionate  expostulation,  ten- 
der entreaty,  all  have  failed,  to  awaken  in 
their  bosoms  one  feeling  of  serious  solicitude 
about  their  eternal  interests,  it  has  often 
stayed  up  the  sinking  spirit,  that  was  just  on 
the  point  of  giving  way  to  agonizmg  despair, 
to  turn,  as  its  last  best  refuge,  to  intercessory 
prayer,  and  with  all  the  intense  fervency  of 


1 90  ADDRESS     VIII. 

Christian  love,  to  plead  for  those  who  never 
plead  for  themselves,  that  they  may  be  con- 
verted by  the  divine  mercy  of  that  blessed 
Spirit,  who  can  enlighten  the  darkest  under- 
standing, soften  the  hardest  heart,  subdue 
the  most  stubborn  will,  and  constrain  the 
stoutest  rebel,  or  most  careless  contemner  of 
a  Saviour's  love,  kneel,  in  penitential  sorrow, 
adoring  gratitude,  and  unreserved  self-sur- 
render, at  the  foot  of  His  cross. 

And  if  the  fervour  of  such  intercessory 
supplication  be  faithfully  followed  up  by  a 
consistent  exhibition  of  the  Christian  charac- 
ter, displayed  in  all  its  attractive  loveliness, 
in  the  domestic  circle,  and  by  an  affectionate 
appeal,  on  every  seasonable  opportunity,  to 
the  heart  as  well  as  the  understanding  of 
the  objects  of  its  tender  solicitude,  what 
abundant  encouragement  is  there  to  hope, 
that  this  labour  of  love  shall  not  be  in  vain 
in  the  Lord — but  that  He  who  delighteth  to 
hear  and  answer  the  prayers,  and  especially 
the  intercessory  prayers  of  His  people,  will, 
in  gracious   approbation   of  the    Christian 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  191 

love  and  zeal  which  they  display,  pour  out 
the  influences  of  His  live-giving  Spirit  on 
the  souls,  for  which  such  prayers  are  oflfered 
up  before  the  throne  of  grace ! 

The  mother  of  Augustine  is  not  the  only 
one,  who  has  been  supported,  through  years 
of  intense  anxiety  on  behalf  of  a  beloved 
object,  by  the  consolatory  reflection  which 
the  good  bishop  suggested  to  the  weeping 
Monica,  "that  the  child  of  so  many  tears 
and  prayers  could  not  finally  be  lost !"  A 
similar  hope  has,  in  every  age  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  prompted  the  fervent  prayers^ 
and  upheld  the  fainting  spirits  of  multitudes 
of  Christians,  mourning  over  beloved  ones, 
who  are  living  in  the  world  without  God, 
without  Christ — and  therefore  without  hope 
— at  least,  without  a  scriptural  hope  of  sal- 
vation ! 

Delightful  also  are  the  feelings,  which 
flow  from  intercessory  prayer,  when  it  is 
oflfered  up,  with  all  the  cordial  sincerity  and 
fervency  of  Christian  love,  on  behalf  of  our 
bitterest  enemies — of  those  who  have  heaped 


192  ADDRESS    VIII. 

on  us  the  most  unprovoked  and  aggravated 
injuries  and  insults!  When  w^e  are  enabled 
by  divine  grace,  to  pour  out  our  hearts,  with 
atfectionate  energy  of  supplication  for  them, 
that  they  may  be  abundantly  blest  with  all 
spiritual  blessings,  in  Christ  Jesus,  then  may 
we  hope,  that  we  have  indeed,  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord,  triumphed  over  every  resentful 
emotion,  and  that  the  spirit  of  Christian  for- 
giveness is  reigning  in  our  hearts !  And 
oh  !  it  is  sweet,  w^hen  we  are  thus  enabled 
at  once  to  comply  with  our  Divine  Master's 
command — "  to  love  our  enemies,  and  to 
pray  for  them  who  despitefully  use  and  per- 
secute us," — and  to  follow  His  example,  who, 
on  the  Cross,  poured  out  His  expiring 
breath  in  a  prayer  for  the  forgiveness  of 
His  murderers  ! 

And  thus  does  intercessory  prayer  supply 
a  decisive  test,  by  which  we  may  ascertain, 
whether  we  have,  from  our  hearts,  forgiven 
all  who  have  injured  us — and  a  source  of  the 
purest  pleasure  in  the  indulgence  of  the 
sweet  sensations,  which  accompany  the  tri- 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  193 

umph  of  Christian  love  over  our  resentful 
feelings,  and  the  consciousness  of  obeying  the 
precept,  and  participating  in  the  spirit  of 
Him,  who  was  Divine  Love  manifest  in  the 
flesh — and  who  not  merely  prayed  for,  but 
even  died  for,  His  enemies  ! 

Intercessory  prayer  has  also  a  powerful 
tendency  to  counteract  that  deep-rooted  self- 
ishness, which,  in  some  of  its  innumerable 
shapes,  is  the  besetting  sin  of  fallen  human 
nature,  while  unrenewed  by  divine  grace  ; 
and  to  substitute,  in  its  stead,  that  diffusive 
benevolence — that  generous  philanthropy, 
which  delights,  with  such  disinterested  joy, 
in  promoting  the  welfare  and  happiness  of 
others — and  which  more  perhaps  than  any 
other  principle,  when  sublimated  by  the 
spirit  of  Christian  love,  assimilates  the  char- 
acter of  man  to  the  character  of  God,  and 
approximates  the  human  nature  to  the  divine. 

How   beautiful    is  intercessory  supplica- 
tion calculated  to  effectuate  this  triumph  of 
implan:cd  philanthropy  over  innate  selfish- 
ness, by  reminding  the  child  of  God,  that  he 
17 


194  ADDRESS  VIII. 

is  not  to  come  before  his  Father  in  heaven, 
in  devotional  communion,  as  a  solitary  and 
selfish  being — entirely  engrossed  with  his 
own  wants  and  desires,  solicitudes  and  sor- 
rowsj  to  pour  forth  supplications,  which 
would  only  embody  the  very  spirit  of  selfish- 
ness ;  but  as  the  member  of  a  large  and 
loved  family,  whose  father  is  his  God,  and 
therefore  all  its  members  his  brethren,  be- 
loved by  him  for  that  Father's  sake  ;  and 
endeared  to  his  heart's  tenderest  affections, 
by  sympathy  in  suffering,  and  participation 
in  privileges — by  fellowship  in  a  Saviour's 
love,  and  communion  in  the  Holy  Ghost — 
as  sharers  in  all  the  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  all  the  unutterably  rich  and  magnificent 
prospects  of  the  inheritance  of  glory. 

The  believer  is  thus  taught  to  bear  all  his 
brethren  in  Christ  on  his  heart,  before  the 
throne  of  grace  ;  to  spread  out  their  wants, 
as  well  as  his  own,  before  their  common 
Father  in  heaven  ;  and  seek  for  them,  as  for 
himself,  a  supply  of  all  spiritual  blessings  in 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  105 

Christ  Jesus,  with  an  ardour  of  affectionate 
desire,  which  shows  that  he  is  not  forgetful 
of  the  command  to  love  them,  even  as  he 
loves  himself.  And  what  can  have  a  strong- 
er or  sweeter  influence,  to  raise  him  out  of 
the  narrow  sphere  of  selfishness,  with  its 
low  aims,  and  confined  prospects,  and  con- 
tracted feelings  ;  and  lift  him  into  that 
loftier  and  lovelier  region  of  Christian 
charity — so  much  nearer  heaven — with  its 
enlarged  aims,  and  generous  affections,  and 
boundless  prospects — where  an  atmosphere, 
impregnated  with  the  very  essence  of  God's 
character,  breathes  all  around  him ;  and 
every  object  is  sparkling  with  the  radiance 
of  that  Sun,  which  rejoices  to  fling,  far  and 
wide.  His  beams  of  gladness  and  of  glory — 
even  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 

Since,  then,  the  habit  of  affectionate  in- 
tercessory prayer  is  so  peculiarly  fitted  to 
cherish  the  spirit  of  Christian  benevolence, 
can  we  wonder  it  is  honoured,  in  Scripture, 
with  such  special  tokens  of  the  divine  ap- 
probation :  for  what   is  the  ultimate  design 


196  ADDRESS  \aii. 

of  the  gospel  dispensation  ?  Is  it  not  to  as- 
similate our  character  to  that  of  God — to  re- 
stamp  the  divine  image  on  the  soul  of  man 
— and  so  to  make  the  human,  in  all  its 
moral  features,  a  partaker  of  the  divine  na- 
ture, as  to  be  capacitated  for  a  happiness, 
derived  from  God,  and  consisting,  in  its 
very  essence,  in  likeness  to  God  :  without 
which,  it  is  manifest,  we  can  never  derive 
happiness,  either  from  the  service  of  God 
on  earth,  or  even  from  the  presence  of  God 
in  heaven. 

Now,  is  it  not  the  fact,  that  the  greatest 
is  also  the  most  generous  of  beings — that 
the  most  unselfish  of  all  spirits,  (if  we  may 
with  reverence  use  the  expression,)  is  that 
very  Spirit  who  is  alone,  and  infinitely,  suf- 
ficient to  Himself,  for  His  own  blessedness 
— that  He,  who  is  altogether  independent 
of  all  other  beings,  for  happiness,  is  He  who 
most  of  all  delights,  in  promoting  the  happi- 
ness of  others,  to  find  his  own. 

Can  we,  in  truth,  form  a  more  correct 
conception   of  the  ever-blessed  God,  than 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  197 

that  of  a  Being  of  the  most  disinterested 
and  unbounded  benevolence — rejoicing  to 
replenish,  out  of  His  own  inexhaustible  ful- 
ness, innumerable  beings  with  abundant  joy ; 
to  send  the  streams  of  His  bounty,  flowing 
in  innumerable  channels,  throughout  the 
boundless  extent  of  His  creation;  to  light 
up  an  universe  with  the  sunshine  of  glad- 
ness, by  the  smile  of  His  countenance :  and 
then  to  find  His  own  supreme  happiness,  in 
looking  from  the  throne  of  His  glory  on  all 
the  happiness  which  He  has  created,  and 
cherishes  around  Him  on  every  side  ;  feel- 
in|^,  as  we  cannot  but  believe  He  does,  an 
inc/ease  to  His  own  infinite  felicity,  in  every 
sn  le  of  gladness  that  glows  throughout  cre- 
at  m;  in  every  voice  of  rejoicing,  that  thrills 
tl.  oughout  the  universe,  from  the  warbling 
c)  the  linnet  in  the  grove,  to  the  song  of  the 
sr^-aph  before  the  throne. 

Oh !  the  attempt  is  delightful  amidst  all 

its    hopelessness,  to  strain  our  faculties  to 

the    very  uttermost,   in   the   endeavour  to 

grasp  even  a  faint  conception  of  what  must 

17* 


198  ADDRESS    VIII. 

be  the  happiness  of  the  blessed  God,  in 
surveying  all  the  happiness  diffused  through- 
out the  universe,  and  feeling  that  of  all  this 
happiness  He  is  Himself  the  Source. 

To  grasp  the  full  conception  of  this  bles- 
sedness, is  not  within  the  reach  of  the  finite 
faculties  of  mortal  man — to  comprehend  it 
fully  v^ere  indeed  to  be  as  God. 

But  if  ever  the  child  of  God  is  conformed 
to  the  character,  and  participates  in  the  hap- 
piness, of  his  Father  in  heaven,  it  is  when, 
with  all  the  benevolent  affections  exalted  to 
their  highest  pitch,  and  enlarged  to  their  ut- 
most extent,  he  comes  before  the  throne  of 
grace,  to  plead,  with  all  the  ardour  of  Chris- 
tian love,  and  all  the  energy  of  Christian 
supplication,  on  behalf  of  all  his  brethren  in 
Christ — yea,  of  all  his  brethren  of  mankind. 
To  pour  out  his  heart,  in  fervent  prayer,  for 
the  happiness  of  the  whole  human  race  ; 
and  thus  to  seek,  in  the  sphere  of  his  humble 
instrumentality,  as  an  intercessor,  to  be  a 
benefactor  to  the  world,  by  entreating  the 
God  of  all  grace  to  send  down  showers  of 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  199 

blessings  from  on  high — even  the  former  and 
the  latter  rain  of  the  Spirit,  whose  fertilizing 
influences  shall  repeal  the  curse  of  barrenness, 
pronounced  on  our  guilty  world,  and  make 
"  its  wilderness  rejoxe  and  blossom  as  the 
rose."  A  change  that  shall  be  wrought  in 
that  blessed  period  of  millennial  glory,  to 
whose  promised  advent  the  Christian  loves 
to  look  forward,  and  plead,  with  intensest 
fervour,  for  its  speedy  approach — that  time 
of  universal  peace,  and  holiness,  and  happi- 
ness, to  a  regenerated  world, 

"  When  one  song  shall  employ  ail  nations — and  all  cry — 
'  Worthy  the  Lamb,  for  He  was  slain  for  us  !' 
The  dwellers  in  the  vales,  and  on  the  rocks, 
Shout  to  each  other  ;  and  the  mountain  tops 
From  distant  mountains  catch  the  flying  joy — 
Till  nation  after  nation  taught  the  strain, 
Earth  rolls  the  rapturous  Hosanna  round  1" 

But  it  is  not,  merely  because  of  the  sacred 
luxury  of  feeling,  the  impartation  of  divine 
enjoyment,  which  intercessory  prayer  sup- 
plies, that  it  should  be  so  highly  prized — so 
habitually  practised.     It  is,  chiefly,  because  it 


200  ADDRESS    VIII. 

is  so  pre-eminently  fitted  to  give  to  a  believer's 
principles  and  practice,  a  tone  corresponding 
to  that  which  has  characterized  his  prayers ; 
and  thus  to  establish,  within  his  soul,  the  as- 
cendency of  that  principle  of  Christian  phi- 
lanthrophy,  which  will  make  his  life  an  em- 
bodied exhibition  of  practical  benevolence, 
delighting  to  administer  to  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  welfare  and  happiness  of  all  that 
come  within  the  sphere  of  his  influence;  and 
thus  identifying  his  spirit  and  purposes,  his 
hidden  life  before  God,  and  his  daily  walk 
before  man,  with  those  of  Him,  of  whom,  in 
that  brief,  and  simple,  but  most  beautiful  de- 
lineation of  the  divine  Philanthropist,  it  is  re- 
corded "  that  he  went  about  doing  good  !" 

Knowing  that  it  would  be  a  very  mockery 
of  the  Almighty,  to  plead  earnestly  for  an 
object,  which  he  did  not  labour  earnestly  in 
his  allotted  sphere  of  instrumentality,  to  pro- 
mote, the  consistent  Christian  will  endeavour, 
to  the  very  utmost  extent  of  his  opportuni- 
ties and  means,  to  assist  in  accomplishing, 
what  he  is  in  the  habit  of  fervently  supplicat- 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  201 

ing  God,  by  His  Almighty  power,  to  effect. 
He  will  learn  to  live  for  the  object,  for  which 
he  loves  to  interecede,  even  the  diffusion  of 
universal  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy, 
throughout  the  wide  compass  of  the  habita- 
ble globe. 

Habituated  to  contemplate  the  identity 
of  sin  with  sorrow,  and  of  holiness  with 
happiness,  he  will  do  all  that  in  him  lies,  by 
the  consecrated  use  of  his  time,  talents, 
wealth  and  influence,  to  extirpate  the  former, 
and  establish  the  latter,  in  the  heart  of  every 
individual — every  family,  to  which  he  can 
gain  access. 

Thus  will  his  object,  every  day,  become 
more  and  more  the  very  same,  for  which  his 
divine  Master  came  on  earth,  and  returned 
to  heaven — even  to  promote  "glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace,  good-will 
towards  men." 

Then,  in  the  full  sense  of  that  sweet  and 
sublime  expression,  he  will  be  "  one  with 
Christ !"  And  oh  !  what  unspeakable  gran- 
deur and  glory  does  it  fling  around  the  hum 


202  A.DPRESS  VIII. 

blest  Christian's  life,  when  viewed  in  this 
connection,  as  identified,  in  aim  and  object, 
with  the  life  of  no  less  than — "  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh." 

Such  being  the  blessed  tendencies  of  a  de- 
vout habit  of  fervent  intercessory  prayer, 
how  suitable  to  the  gracious  purpose  of  the 
gospel- scheme,  (even  that  of  conforming  us 
to  the  image  of  Christ,)  to  stamp  on  it  the 
especial  mark  of  the  divine  approbation. 
Let  us  turn,  in  confirmation  of  this  assertion, 
to  one  or  two  instances,  which  will  establish 
its  truth. 

Look  at  Abraham,  interceding  for  the 
guilty  cities  of  the  plain.  Six  times  does  the 
fervent  patriarch  plead  for  the  devoted 
Sodom,  and  six  times  does  the  condescend- 
ing God  grant  his  intercessory  petition  ;  and, 
(as  has  been  truly  and  beautifully  remarked,) 
Abraham  left  off  interceding,  before  God 
left  off  complying  with  his  requests.  The 
patriarch's  faith  failed,  sooner  than  the  pa- 
tience of  a  lonoj-suffering  God  ! 

Oh  !  what   an   encouragement    to  plead, 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  203 

with  importunate  and  persevering  supplica- 
tion, on  behalf  of  the  most  abandoned  sin- 
ners— the  very  vilest  of  the  human  race. 

Look  again  at  Lot,  pleading  for  the  city 
of  Zoar ;  that  it  may  be  spared,  as  a  place 
of  refuge  to  which  he  may  escape. 

What  is  the  answer  of  a  gracious  God  to 
His  interceding  servant  ?  "  See  !  I  have  ac- 
cepted thee  concerning  this  thing  also,  that 
1  will  not  overthrow  this  city,  for  which  thou 
hast  spoken." 

How  God  seems  to  love  to  listen  to  inter- 
cessory prayer ! 

Look  again  at  Moses  ;  how  eloquent  is 
his  example  I 

While  he  was  in  the  mount  with  God,  the 
people  of  Israel  made  a  golden  calf,  and 
worshipped  it.  Filled  with  righteous  indig- 
nation, Jehovah  said  unto  Moses — "  Let  me 
alone,  that  My  wrath  may  wax  hot  against 
this  people,  and  that  I  may  consume  them  ; 
and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation." 

With  a  heart  overflowing  with  the  most 
grateful  zeal  for  God's  glory,  and  the  most 


204  ADDRESS  VIII. 

generous  love  for  his  brethren  after  the  flesh, 
the  disinterested  lawgiver  of  Israel  pleads, 
v^^ith  humble  boldness  and  holy  importunity 
for  the  pardon  of  this  idolatrous  people. 

Now  mark  the  glorious  triumph  of  inter- 
cessory prayer — "  The  Lord  repented  him 
of  the  evil,  which  He  thought  to  do  unto 
His  people." 

Again  the  people  rebelled  against  God  ; 
again  Jehovah  threatens  to  disinherit  them, 
and  repeats  His  offer  to  Moses,  to  make  of 
him  a  "  greater  nation,  and  mightier  than 
they." 

The  people  had  just  been  murmuring 
against  Moses,  and  proposing  to  choose  an- 
other captain,  and  return  to  Egypt. 

With  a  love  undamped  by  their  ingrati- 
tude, the  generous  patriot  again  lifts  up  the 
voice  of  pleading  intercession  on  their  be- 
half. "  Pardon,"  he  cries,  "  the  iniquity  of 
this  people,  according  unto  the  greatness  of 
thy  mercy  1"  and  what  was  the  result  ? 
Oh  !  how  does  GoJ,  in  His  answer,  set  the 
seal  of  His  special  blessing  on  intercessory 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  205 

supplication — "  Pardon  this  people  "  cried 
Moses  ;  and  the  Lord  said  I  have  pardoned 
according  to  thy  word." 

What  a  touching  display  is  here  of  the 
noble  generosity  of  Moses,  and  the  unbounded 
grace  of  God.  How  suitable  a  type  does 
the  forgiving  intercessor  appear  of  the  prom- 
ised Prophet,  that  was  to  be  like  unto  him. 
How  beautifully  is  here  shadowed  forth,  in 
his  example,  one  of  the  most  gracious  and 
endearing  offices  of  the  divine  Intercessor 
of  all  the  Israel  of  God. 

What  a  deep  sense  must  Samuel  have  en- 
tertained, of  the  obligation  and  duty  of  in- 
tercessory prayer,  when  he  cried  out,  (and 
this,  after  the  people  of  Israel  had  greatly 
provoked  God,  by  asking  for  a  king.) 
"  Moreover,  as  for  me,  God  forbid  that  1 
should  sin  against  the  Lordy  in  ceasing  to 
pray  for  you." 

Could  language  more  emphatically  mark 
how  pre-eminently  such  prayer  is  pleasing, 
and  the  neglect  of  it  sinful,  in  the  sight  of 
God? 

18 


206  ADDRESS   vm. 

Look  again  at  Elijah,  by  his  prayers, 
opening  and  shutting  the  windows  of  heav- 
en— suspending  the  showers — or  bringing 
down  rain  upon  the  earth. 

Now,  remember  how  invaluable  is  St. 
James'  comment  on  this  instance  of  the  effi- 
cacy of  intercessory  supplication,  when, 
having  brought  it  forward,  to  prove  that 
the  fervent  effectual  prayer  of  a  righteous 
man  availeth  much,  in  connection  with  the 
command  "  Pray  one  for  another!^  he  re- 
minds us  that  "  Eiias  was  a  man  subject  to 
like  passions,  as  we  are — and  he  prayed 
earnestly,  and  the  heavens  withheld,  or  gave 
rain  according  to  his  prayer." 

As  if  to  tell  us,  that  it  was  not  the  voice 
of  an  archangel,  which  had  such  power  on 
high,  but  that  of  a  mere  mortal — a  poor 
weak  worm  of  the  dust,  like  ourselves,  Hfted 
up  in  the  earnest  prayer  of  faith  :  and  so  to 
remind  us  that  still,  and  to  the  end  of  time, 
such  prayer  can  never  plead  in  vain,  because 

"  It  moves  the  arm  that  moves  the  universe.'* 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  207 

But  it  is  in  the  New  Testament  that  we 
find  the  full-length  and  finished  portrait  of 
intercessory  prayer,  exhibited  in  the  exam- 
ple of  St.  Paul. 

Yes  !  if  ever  there  was  a  man,  who  lived 
for  others,  not  himself — willino^  to  endure 
any  sufferings  by  which  the  sufferings  of 
others  might  be  soothed,  and  in  promoting 
the  happiness  of  others,  supremely  desirous 
to  find  his  own — that  man  was  St.  Paul. 

If  ever  there  was  a  human  heart,  in  which 
the  divine  spirit  of  Christian  benevolence 
was  enthroned,  and  had  brought  every  feel- 
ing, affection,  and  passion,  to  bow  beneath 
its  sceptre  of  love,  it  was  the  heart  of  the 
great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles. 

If  ever  there  was  a  character,  moulded  in 
every  feature  after  the  adorable  Redeemer's, 
and  reflecting,  in  beautiful  clearness,  the 
image  of  Him,  who  was  the  incarnate  mani- 
festation of  divine  love,  it  was  the  character 
of  this  greatest  of  merely-human  philanthro- 
pists. And  if  ever  there  was  a  life  of  mere 
man,  which  might  be  considered  but  as  one 


208  ADDRESS    VIII. 

embodied  and  unbroken  exhibition  of  disin- 
terested zeal,  for  the  advancement  of  human 
happiness,  it  was  the  life  of  St.  Paul,  from 
the  moment  that  he  met  Jesus  on  the  wslv  to 
Damascus,  and  fell  to  the  ground,  beneath 
His  piercing  expostulation,  till  the  moment 
when,  as  the  dying  testimony  of  his  grati- 
tude to  that  Jesus,  he  bowed  his  head  be- 
neath the  murderous  axe. 

And  if,  among  the  numberless  manifesta- 
tions of  his  generous  and  glowing  love  to 
his  brethren  in  Christ,  there  be  one,  in 
which  he  seemed  more  especially  to  delight, 
that  one  assuredly  is  intercessory  prayer. 

Observe  how  he  opens  and  closes  every 
epistle,  with  affectionate  prayer — "  Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  unto  you,  from  God  the 
Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

How  solemn  his  appeal  to  his  beloved 
Roman  converts — "  God  is  my  witness, 
whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit,  in  the  gospel 
of  His  Son,  that,  without  ceasing,  I  make 
mention  of  you  always  in  my  prayers." 

Mark  how  he  reiterates  this  assurance  in 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  209 

every  epistle — "  I  thank  my  God  always  on 
your  behalf."  "  I  cease  not  to  give  thanks 
for  you,  making  mention  of  you  in  my 
prayers."  "  I  thank  my  God,  upon  every 
remembrance  of  you,  always,  in  every  pray- 
er of  mine,  for  you  all,  making  request  with 
joy."  "  We  give  thanks  to  God  always,  for 
you  all,  making  mention  of  you  in  our 
prayers." 

How  does  he  throw  open  his  heart  before 
us  in  those  touching  words — "  God  is  my 
record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all,  in 
the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  thus  I 
pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more 
and  more." 

Who  does  not  envy  the  feelings  of  the 
apostle,  when  he  cried  out,  in  a  transport  of 
the  most  disinterested  joy  : — 

"What  thanks  can  we  render  to  God,  again, 
for  you,  for  all  the  joy  wherewith  we  joy 
for  your  sakes,  before  our  God,  night  and 
day  ;  praying  exceedingly  that  w^e  might 
gee  your  face,  and  perfect  that  which  is  lack- 
ing in  your  faith."  And  then  he  bursts  out 
18* 


210  ADDRESS   vin. 

into  that  beautiful  prayer  for  them — "  The 
Lord  make  you  to  increase,  and  abound  in 
love  one  toward  another  ?" 

How  often  does  he  break  away  from  the 
language  of  admonition,  or  interrupt  his 
chain  of  reasoning,  to  give  vent  to  the  ful- 
ness of  his  fervent  love,  in  some  such  prayer 
as  this — 

"  The  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  peace 
and  joy,  in  believing.  The  God  of  patience 
and  consolation  grant  you  to  be  like-minded, 
one  towards  another,  according  to  Christ 
Jesus.  The  Lord  of  Peace,  Himself,  give 
you  peace  always,  by  all  means.  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  Himself,  and  God,  even  our 
Father,  comfort  your  hearts.  And  the  very 
God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly ;  and  I 
pray  God,  your  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and 
body,  be  preserved  blameless,  unto  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  man  who  can  read  these  expressions 
without  feeling  any  sympathetic  glow  kindled 
within  his  soul — any  chord,  touched  in  hij 
heart,  that  vibrates  in  unison  with  the  apos- 


ON     INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  211 

tie's,  has  great  reason  to  doubt  his  claims  to 
be  called  a  Christian.  And  where  is  even 
the  decided  and  devoted  Christian  of  our 
day,  who,  on  comparing  his  own  experience 
with  that  of  St.  Paul,  must  not  confess,  with 
mingled  shame  and  sorrow,  how  very  far 
he  has  fallen  below  the  standard  of  Christian 
love,  as  exhibited  in  the  example  of  this  most 
finished  earthly  portraiture  of  the  Christian 
character  ? 

Nor  was  intercessory  prayer,  with  St. 
Paul,  the  benediction  of  a  superior  being 
so  raised  above  human  infirmities,  or  spirit- 
ual wants,  as  to  be  independent  of,  or  indif- 
ferent about,  the  supplications  of  others,  on 
his  behalf.  No,  the  humility  of  the  apostle 
was  as  deep,  as  his  love  was  fervent,  or  his 
charity  comprehensive.  He  felt  that  he 
stood  in  need  of  his  fellow-Christians'  pray- 
ers' altogether  as  much  as  they  could  do  of 
his  ;  and  intreated  their  intercessory  suppli- 
cations for  himself,  as  fervently  as  he  pour- 
ed forth  his  own  for  them.  "  Brethren,"  he 
earnestly  exclaims,  "  pray  for  us."     "  I  be- 


212  ADDRESS    VIII. 

seech  you,  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit, 
that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your  pray- 
ers to  God  for  me."  "  Praying  always  with  all 
prayer  and  supplication  for  all  saints,  and 
for  me."  "  In  whom  we  trust  that  He  will 
yet  deliver  us,  ye  also  helping  together  by 
prayer  for  us."  **  I  know  that  this  shall  turn 
to  my  salvation,  through  your  prayer,  and 
the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ" 

Do  we  not  here  see  the  links  of  a  myste- 
rious chain,  (of  whose  very  existence  the  chil. 
dren  of  the  world  know  not,)  which  binds  the 
hearts  of  believers  together,  in  a  bond  of  sa- 
cred and  indissoluble  union,  strengthened  by 
the  feeling  of  common  wants  and  weaknes- 
ses, sympathetically  experienced ;  and  en- 
deared by  the  interchange  of  benefits  and 
blessings,  mutually  conferred.  A  chain  of  di- 
vine workmanship  and  power,  wrought  in 
heaven  and  held  in  the  hands  of  God  ;  by 
which  the  affections  of  all  His  children  are 
closely  and  inseparably  knit  together,  and  all 
alike,   with   sweetly   irresistible    attraction. 


ON    INTERCESSORY     PRAYER.  213 

drawn  upwards  to  Himself,  as  the  common 
source  and  centre  of  all  their  love,  and  hopes, 
and  happiness  ;  before  whose  throne  of  grace 
they  all  meet,  in  spirit,  in  the  sweet  fellow- 
ship of  prayer  and  praise  on  earth:  and  be- 
fore whose  throne  of  glory  they  shall  all 
meet,  face  to  face,  to  unite  in  everlasting 
songs  of  praise  in  heaven. 

But  the  example  of  St.  Paul's  intercession 
is  also  most  valuable  as  a  guide  to  direct  us 
in  offering  up  our  own. 

What  are  the  objects  which  the  apostle 
implores,  with  all  the  glowing  fervour  of  his 
warm  capacious  heart,  for  those  beloved 
brethren  in  Christ,  whose  happiness  seems 
as  dear  to  him  as  his  own  ? 

When  we  cast  our  eye  over  them,  we  see 
that  he  deems  no  riches  worth  asking  for 
them,  except  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ  " — no  honours,  but  "  the  honour  that 
Cometh  from  God " — no  glory,  but  "  the 
crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away  ' — no 
possession,  but  the  incorruptible  inheritance 


214  ADDRESS     VIII. 

— no  blessings  but  those  which  shall  endure 
throughout  eternity. 

Accustomed  to  look  at  objects  in  the  light 
of  that  eternity,  he  considers  nothing  really 
valuable,  on  which  God  has  not  stamped  the 
impress  of  immortality, 

Earthly  wealth,  earthly  honours,  earthly 
possessions,  earthly  pleasures — these  he  does 
not  deem  worthy  of  one  passing  thought — 
of  one  single  wish — of  one  solitary  prayer. 

He  had  weighed  them  in  the  balance  of 
the  sanctuary,  and  found  them  wanting  in 
every  essential  requisite  for  administering 
to  the  true  happiness  of  a  child  of  God — a 
follower  of  Jesus,  an  heir  of  immortality : 
and,  therefore,  he  has  not  left  on  record  a 
single  intercessory  supplication,  that  any  of 
those  objects,  which  the  world's  votaries 
idolize,  might  be  bestowed  on  his  beloved 
brethren  in  Christ. 

How  should  this  silence  of  the  apostle, 
when  contrasted  with  the  reiterated  recur- 
rence of  his  fervent  prayers  for  all  spiritual 
blessings  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  be  abundantly 


ON     INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  215 

poured  out  upon  those  he  loves — correct  the 
false  estimate  we  are  so  prone  to  form,  of 
the  comparative  value  of  things  temporal, 
and  things  eternal. 

How  should  it  teach  us,  to  regulate  our 
judgment  in  this  matter  by  his,  which  so  en- 
tirely coincides  with  the  judgment  of  God  ; 
and  like  St.  Paul,  looking  not  at  the  things 
which  are  seen,  and  temporal,  but  the  things 
which  are  unseen,  and  eternal,  to  count,  like 
him,  by  the  unerring  calculation  of  spiritual 
arithmetic,  that  neither  "the  light  afflic- 
tions," nor  the  yet  lighter  joys,  "  which  are 
but  for  a  moment,  are  worthy  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory,  which  shall  be  re- 
vealed in  the  children  of  God,  when  Christ, 
who  is  their  life,  shall  appear,  and  they  also 
shall  appear,  with  Him  in  glory. 

And  how  should  we  thus  learn  to  desire 
most  ardently,  and  implore  most  fervently 
both  for  ourselves  and  those  we  love,  those 
blessings  which  rank  highest  in  the  estim^ 
tion   of  Him,  who  is  assuredly,   the  alone 


216  ADDRESS    vin. 

infallible  Judge  of  what  is  most  valuable — 
even  that  God,  who  with  truly  divine  liberali- 
ty, delights  to  lavish  most  largely  on  the  chil- 
dren of  His  love,  the  blessings  He  Himself  es- 
teems the  most  precious  in  His  power  to 
bestow. 

And  these,  we  have  the  unequivocal  and 
unbroken  testimony  of  His  written  word  to 
assure  us,  are  such  as  have  Himself,  for  their 
substance — holiness,  for  their  essence — the 
blood  of  Hi-s  Son,  as  their  purchase- price — 
the  stamp  of  His  Spirit,  as  their  seal — grace, 
for  their  channel — ^glory,  for  their  ciown — 
the  place  of  their  habitation,  heaven — and 
the  period  of  their  continuance,  eternity. 

Make  it  then  the  subject  of  your  most 
fervent  supplications  on  behalf  of  those  your 
soul  holds  dearest,  that  love  to  a  Saviour- 
God,  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  may  every  day  become  deeper 
and  more  constraining,  and  zeal  for  His 
glory  more  intense  and  influential ;  that  in- 
creased energy  of  exertion  in  His  service 
may  keep  pace  with  increased  simplicity  of 


ON    INTERCESSORY     PRAYER.  217 

reliance  on  His  righteousness ;  and  that 
conformity  to  His  character,  more  strongly- 
marked,  and  communion  with  His  Spirit, 
more  devoutly  enjoyed,  every  day,  may  en- 
able them  at  once  to  evidence  to  all  around, 
a  growing  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light,  and  to  experience  within 
themselves  a  sweeter  foretaste  of  the  fulness 
of  joy,  which  is  to  be  their  portion  in  heaven 
for  ever  and  ever. 

The  sublimest  intercessory  prayer  on 
record,  (except  one,)  embodying  the  suppli- 
cation for  these  blessings,  in  language  the 
most  magnificent  that  ever  issued  from 
merely  human  lips,  will  be  found  in  the  3d 
chap,  of  Ephesians,  from  14th  verse  to  the 
end. 

The  man,  on  whose  behalf  that  prayer  is 
heard,  has  arrived  at  the  highest  possible 
pitch  of  happiness,  of  which  a  created  being 
is  capable ;  for  what  can  be  added  to  the 
happiness  of  him,  who,  according  to  the 
riches  of  God's  glory,  is  strengthened  with 
might  by  His  Spirit,  in  the  inner  man — in 
19 


218  ADDRESS    VIII. 

whose  heart  Christ  dwells  by  faith — so  that 
he,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  is 
able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints,  what  is 
the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and 
height — and  to  knov/  the  love  of  Christ, 
which  passeth  knowledge — and  who,  to  the 
-utmost  extent  of  a  creature's  capacity,  "  is 
iilled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God." 

Here  is  the  safest  pattern  and  standard, 
to  regulate  a  believer's  intercessions,  on  be- 
half of  those  he  loves. 

I  said — the  sublimest  on  record, except  one. 

That  one  was  offered  by  more  than  mere 
mortal  lips,  and  remains  recorded  in  the 
17th  chapter  of  St.  John — one  of  the  most 
valuable  legacies  of  His  love,  which  the  Son 
of  God  has  bequeathed  to  His  church. 

When  we  compare  these  two  patterns 
of  intercessory  prayer,  might  not  St.  Paul 
here  also,  as  in  all  the  other  branches  of  his 
humble,  but  faithful  imitation  of  the  Sa- 
viour's example,  exclaim,  "  Be  ye  followers 
of  me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ !" 

Let  me  not,  however,  be  mistaken. 


ON    INTERCESSORY    PRAYER.  219 

So  far  as  the  Redeemer's  intercession  is 
to  be  regarded  as  the  all-prevailing  plea, 
grounded  on  the  infinite  merits  of  His  own 
sacrifice,  which  procures  for  His  church 
every  blessing  purchased  for  it  by  His 
blood,  He  stands  alone,  in  the  unapproach- 
able majesty,  the  incommunicable  glory,  of 
His  divine  office.  And  of  His  people,  in 
this  view  of  His  work  of  intercession,  as 
well  as  His  work  of  atonement,  there  is 
none  with  Him.  But  so  far  as  His  interces- 
sion is  to  be  regarded  as  an  evidence  of  His 
love  for  His  church,  and  an  exhibition  of 
one  of  the  most  endearing  methods,  by 
which  He  delights  to  manifest  that  love.  He 
has,  (in  this  view  of  the  subject,)  left  us,  in 
His  intercessory  supplication,  an  example, 
that  we  should  follow  His  steps. 

And  never,  perhaps,  does  the  believer 
more  closely  follow  his  divine  Master's 
steps,  or  more  deeply  drink  into  His  Spirit, 
or  more  plenteously  participate  in  His  joy — 
(even  "  the  joy  set  before  Him,  for  which 
He  endured  the  cross,  despising  its  shame,") 


220  ADDRESS  VIII. 

than  when  He  comes  before  God,  to  plead 
on  behalf  of  that  church,  which  His  well- 
beloved  Son  has  bought  with  His  own 
blood ;  and,  in  the  spirit  of  that  sublimest 
of  all  prayers,  intercedes  for  that  church, 
that  it  may  be  sanctified  by  His  word, 
whose  word  is  truth ;  and  that  all  its  mem- 
bers may  be  one — one,  in  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  bond  of  peace — one,  in  the 
mysterious  union  of  Christian  love — one  with 
Christ,  and  one  in  Christ,  "  even  as  He  and 
the  Father  are  one."  How  dear  does  this 
union  seem  to  be  to  the  Redeemer's  heart ; 
and  how  earnestly  should  all  who  love  the 
Lord  Jesus — but  especially  all  His  ministers, 
labour,  by  their  preaching,  prayers,  and 
practice,  to  promote  an  object,  for  which  the 
Redeemer  pleaded,  with  such  earnestness^  at 
such  a  time !  And  oh  !  \Hhis  prayer  of  His 
had  been  constantly  remembered  and  acted 
upon,  by  all  His  people,  as  it  ought  to  have 
been,  how  would  it  have  tended  to  prevent, 
or  to  allay,  those  disgraceful  divisions  about 
non-essential  points,  which  have  broken  the 


ON   INTERCESSORY   PRAYER.  221 

unity,  disturbed  the  peace,  and  disfigured 
the  loveliness  of  the  church  of  Christ,  in 
every  age  ;  and  thus  impeded  the  progress 
of  Christianity  in  the  w^orld,  by  dimming  the 
lustre  of  that  glorious  attestation  of  its  divine 
original,  (even  the  display  of  the  spirit  of 
love  a-nd  unity  among  all  its  faithful  followers,) 
with  whose  full-orbed  exhibition  the  S-aviour 
appears  to  have  linked  the  triumphant  es- 
tablishment of  the  claims  of  His  Gospel, 
to  be  recognised  by  all  men  as  a  religion 
that  has  come  down  from  heaven — a  reve- 
lation from  that  God,  whose  nature  and 
whose  name  is  Love. 


\DDRESS  IX. 


ON  THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE. 

"  It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord,  and  to 
sing  praises  unto  thy  name,  O  Most  High  !" — Ps.  xcii.  I. 

"  By  Him  let  us  oflfer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God  con- 
tinually ;  that  is,  the  fruit  of  our  lips,  giving  thanks  to  His 
name." — Heb.  xiii.  15. 

"  In  everything  give  thanks."—!  Thes.  v.  18. 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  more  puzzling 
or  painful  inconsistency  in  the  Christian 
character,  than  the  reluctance  so  often  felt, 
even  by  sincere  and  devoted  servants  of 
God,  to  abound  in  the  work  of  praise.  For 
ihowever  the  sweetness  of  other  parts  of  de- 
votional services  may  be  dashed  with  many 
'drops  of  bitterness,  the  pleasure  of  this  em- 
i.ployment  is  unalloyed  with  the  slightest 
admixture  of  pain.  It  touches  on  the  bliss 
•of  angels — the  borders  of  heaven. 


OS    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.        223 

Yes !  praise  more  than  any  thing  else,  as- 
similates the  suffering  saint  on  earth  to  the 
glorified  saint  in  heav.en.  It  approximates, 
most  closely,  the  worshippers  in  the  terres- 
trial to  those  in  the  celestial  sanctuary  ;  for 
in  that  world,  where  they  rest  from  confes- 
sion— because  they  have  no  sins  to  be  par- 
doned ;  and  from  supplication —  because 
they  have  no  sinking  weakness  to  be  sus- 
tained, no  craving  wants  to  be  supplied  ; 
there  they  j^est  not,  day  or  night,  singing 
praises  unto  Him  who  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever. 

Consider,  too,  believer,  what  amazing  con- 
descension it  is  in  God,  to  allow  you  to  pre- 
sent to  Him  the  poor  and  worthless  offering 
of  your  praise ;  and  yet  (oh !  who  can 
fathom  the  depths  of  the  divine  condescen- 
sion ?)  Jehovah  speaks,  as  if  your  praises 
added  to  His  glory. 

Yes  !  He,  who,  wrapt  in  the  unapproach- 
able glory  of  His  own  uncreated  majesty,  is 
exalted  immeasurably  above  the  homage  of 
all  created  beings — He,  who  humbleth  Him- 


224  ADDRESS  IX. 

self,  with  amazing  condescension,  to  accept 
the  adoration  of  the  burning  seraphim,  that 
worship,  with  veiled  faces,  before  His  throne 
— He  who  is  so  infinitely  sufficient  to  Him- 
self, for  His  own  happiness,  that  if  not 
merely  earth,  but  heaven  itself,  were  silent 
in  His  praise — if  rebellion  were  to  spread 
throughout  the  whole  universe  of  created 
intelligences,  and  all  the  principalities  and 
powers,  in  heavenly  places,  were  to  be  cast 
down  from  their  thrones  on  high,  and  heav- 
en to  be  left  one  vast  unpeopled  solitude — 
He,  who  would  still  remain,  though  alone  in 
heaven,  in  the  mysterious  unity  of  the  ador- 
able Trinity,  perfectly,  supremely,  infinitely 
blessed — His  uncreated  happiness  unimpair- 
ed— His  uncreated  glory  unobscured — He 
vouchsafes  to  represent  Himself  as  glorified 
by  the  grateful  adoration  of  worms  oi  the 
dust — He,  whom  the  heaven  of  heavens 
cannot  contain,  allows  Himself  to  be  spoken 
of,  as  inhabiting  the  praises  of  His  Israel : 
as  finding  in  them  a  habitation,  where  He 
not  only  deigns,  but  delights  to  dwell  1 


ON    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.         225 

And  will  you,  believer,  be  reluctant  to 
raise  such  a  residence  for  the  God  of  your 
salvation,  in  your  heart ;  and  this,  when  the 
very  happiest  employment,  in  which  you 
can  be  engaged,  is  building  the  sacred  walls 
of  this  hallowed  habitation,  for  your  God. 

Perhaps  you  have  never  deeply  pondered 
the  import  of  those  words,  "Whoso  ofTereth 
Me  praise,  glorifieth  Me ;"  or  dwelt  on  the 
recollection,  whose  words  they  are. 

And  just  look  at  the  psalm  from  which 
they  are  taken,  and  I  am  persuaded  they 
must  strike  your  mind  with  a  solemnity, 
which  will  exercise  a  powerful  influence 
over  your  future  life,  when  you  see  how 
(if  I  may  with  reverence  use  the  expression,) 
God  seems  to  have  set  His  heart  on  impres- 
sing upon  all  His  people,  the  peculiar  de- 
light which  He  derives  from  the  offering  of 
their  praise. 

The  psalm  opens  with  singular  sublimity — 

"  The  mighty  God,  even  Jehovah,  hath 
spoken,  and  called  the  earth,  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun,  unto  the  going  down  thereof." 


226  ADDRESS    IX. 

God  is  then  represented  as  appearing  m 
all  His  nnajesty ;  a  devouring  fire  before 
Him,  and  a  mighty  tempest  round  about 
Him.  He  calls  to  the  heavens  from  above 
and  to  the  earth ;  for  He  is  about  to  judge 
His  people.  All  His  saints  are  to  be  gather- 
ed together,  at  the  summons  of  the  Almighty 
— for  God  is  Judge  Himself. 

And  now  the  voice  of  God  bursts  on  the 
solemn  assembly.  "  Hear,  oh,  my  people* 
and  /  will  speak — oh,  Israel,  and  /  will  tes- 
tify against  thee ;  for  I  am  God,  even  thy 
God." 

And  what  is  the  complaint  which  Jeho- 
vah calls  on  a  listening  earth,  and  witnessing 
heaven,  to  hear  Him  prefer  against  His  peo- 
ple ?  Is  it  for  the  neglect  of  sacrifices  or 
burnt  oflTerings  ?  "  No,"  says  God,  "  I  will 
not  reprove  thee  for  these  things  ;  these  are 
not  the  sacrifices  I  desire — the  offerings  in 
which  I  delight." 

Then  what  is  the  offering,  which,  with 
such  solemn  announcement,  such  a  magnifi- 
cent display  of  awful   grandeur,   Jehovah 


ox    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRIASE.  227 

claims  from  His  assembled  saints  ?  Hear  His 
own  words — 

"  Offer  unto  God  thanksgiving  ;  for  whoso 
offereth  praise,  glorifieth  Me  /" 

Words  would  but  weaken  the  force  of 
such  a  command,  and  such  a  declaration,  as 
this.  I  can  only  pray.  Christian  reader, 
that  thou  mayest  not  be  disobedient  to  the 
voice  of  this  heavenly  vision ;  or  refuse,  by 
witholding  the  offering,  which  He  claims 
with  such  surpassing  solemnity  of  attestation 
and  appeal,  to  glorify  thy  God. 

Come,  then,  and  collect  with  me  materials 
for  a  louder,  sweeter  song  of  praise,  than 
you  have  ever  lifted  up  before  the  throne  on 
high. 

But  here  I  am  perplexed,  and  bewildered, 
how  to  begin.  Such  a  crowd  of  mercies 
rushes  on  my  view,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
know  what  to  select  out  of  the  mighty  mass, 
the  countless  sum  of  blessings,  that  burst 
upon  my  sight.  I  feel  lost  in  the  labyrinth  of 
divine  love ;  and  know  not  which  way  to  turn. 

Like  the  ladder,  that  was  seen  by  the  pa- 


228  ADDRESS  IX. 

triarcli  in  his  dream,  the  pile  of  mercies  that 
seems  to  stand,  as  a  monument  of  the  grace 
of  God,  before  my  transported  gaze,  rests  on 
the  earth,  but  reaches  unto  the  heavens  ; 
where  I  lose  the  sight  of  its  towering  sum- 
mit in  the  skies,  and  only  know,  by  faith, 
that  it  is  firmly  fixed  against  the  throne  of 
God,  and  is  therefore,  as  immoveably  secure 
as  the  everlasting  pillars  of  that  throne. 

Look  then  at  this  lofty  pile ;  for  though 
no  human  eye  can  discern  its  summit,  (which 
retires  from  mortal  gaze,  amidst  the  glories 
of  eternity,  in  the  heaven  of  heavens,  into 
the  unapproachable  light  which  burns  around 
the  everlasting  throne,)  yet  does  it  bear  on 
its  surface,  many  an  inscription  to  the  praise 
of  God,  traced  by  the  finger  of  gratitude, 
and  legible  to  the  eye  of  faith.  And  will  it 
not  be  a  sweet  employment  to  read  some  of 
these,  that  your  heart  may  glow  while  you 
read  with  such  gratitude,  as  would  make  it 
indeed  pain  and  grief  to  you,  to  keep  silence 
from  the  praises  of  your  God. 

Look — but  in  what  direction  shall  I  bid 


ON   THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.        229 

you  look?  In  one  sense  it  matters  not,  for 
you  cannot  look  in  any  direction,  in  which 
some  sweet  appeal  to  your  gratitude,  some 
precious  material  for  your  praise,  will  not 
start  up  before  your  wondering  eyes. 

Look  hack !  even  to  the  ages  of  eternity. 

Further  than  you  can  travel  in  imagina- 
tion into  the  abyss  of  that  eternity,  there 
were  thoughts  and  purposes  of  loving-kind- 
ness towards  you,  in  the  bosom  of  the  eternal 
Father — for  His  love  towards  you  has  been 
from  everlasting,  and  will  be  to  everlasting. 

When  the  well  ordered  covenant  of  grace 
to  guilty  man  was  entered  into  between  the 
eternal  Father  and  His  well- beloved  Son, 
you  were  included  in  that  covenant,  and  the 
stupendous  plan  arranged  for  securing  your 
salvation. 

When  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  God 
sent  His  Son  into  the  world  to  purchase  for 
you  all  the  blessings  of  that  everlasting  cove- 
nant, and  to  give  you  a  title,  written  in  His 
blood,  to  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,  be- 
fore the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid. 
20 


230  ADDRESS    IX. 

And  when  the  well-beloved  of  the  Father 
came  to  earth,  and  tabernacled  amongst 
men,  as  a  "  Man  of  sorrows,"  He  came  as 
fully,  as  if  He  came  exclusively  on  your  ac- 
count. 

Not  a  tear  He  ever  shed,  not  a  groan  He 
ever  uttered  ;  not  a  day  He  ever  passed  in 
toil  and  tribulation,  not  a  night  He  ever  spent 
in  sleeplessness  and  prayer;  not  a  sorrow 
of  His  Hfe,  nor  a  pang  of  His  death,  that  He 
endured  ;  but  in  all,  and  through  all.  He  was 
thinking  of  you  ;  toiling  for  you — watching 
— weeping — sorrowing  —  suffering — dying 
— all  for  you !  Yes  !  all  as  much  for  you, 
as  if  you  were  the  only  sinner,  that  He  came 
from  heaven  to  save. 

When  He  set  His  face  steadfastly  towards 
Jerusalem,  though  knowing  all  the  sufferings 
that  awaited  Him  there ;  it  was  to  accom- 
plish your  redemption. 

The  prospect  of  your  eternal  happiness  in 
heaven,  as  the  result  and  recompense  of  His 
sorrows,  cheered  and  sustained  Him  along 
His  pilgrimage  of  pain  on  earth  I    The  Lord 


ON    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.  231 

of  life  submitted  to  death,  that  you  might  en- 
joy everlasting  life  !.  The  Judge  of  all  stood, 
as  an  arraigned  criminal,  before  an  earthly 
tribunal,  that  you  might  stand  uncondemned 
and  unterrified,  before  the  great  white 
Throne,  in  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 
The  Lord  of  glory,  stooped  to  humiliation 
— yea,  even  to  scorn,  and  scoffing,  and  spit- 
ting of  face,  that  you  might  oe  exalted  to 
everlasting  honours,  and  crowned  with  eter- 
nal glory. 

Can  you  believe  all  this,  and  yet  your 
heart  or  voice  ever  be  untuned  for  singing 
the  praises  of  the  Lord  ? 

Then  look  up  I  raise  your  eyes  and 
thoughts  to  heaven. 

There  is  God,  your  heavenly  Father — 
Preserver — Benefactor — constantly  employ- 
ed in  shielding  you  from  evil ;  showering  on 
you,  every  moment,  some  fresh  mercy  ; 
making  your  pathway  through  life,  one  un- 
broken line  of  light,  all  sparkling  with  the 
sunshine  of  His  smile — all  studded  over  with 
a   crowded    succession  of  testimonials  and 


232  ADDRESS    IX. 

tokens  of  His  love  ;  and  arranging  all  the 
varying  vicissitudes  of  your  chequered  his- 
tory, so  as  to  make  them  all  work  together 
for  your  eternal  good. 

There  is  Jesus — your  divine  Redeemer — 
Advocate,  and  Friend — constantly  watching 
you,  from  his  mediatorial  throne,  with  a 
look  of  the  most  affectionate  interest,  the 
most  unslumbering  care  ;  and  sympathizing 
in  all  your  alternations  of  joy  and  sorrow, 
with  a  tenderness  of  sympathy,  so  close,  so 
endearing,  so  identifying,  that  it  can  be  but 
faintly  imaged  by  the  fondest  relationship 
of  earthly  love. 

There  is  the  Holy  Spirit — your  divine 
Teacher — Sanctifier — Comforter :  constant- 
ly employed  in  bringing  to  your  remem- 
brance all  things  that  Jesus  said,  while  on 
earth,  for  his  people's  purification,  guidance, 
comfort,  and  happiness ;  filling  your  heart 
with  all  peace  and  joy  in  believing ;  making 
you  meet  for  your  inheritance  in  heaven  ; 
and  enabling  you  to  abound  in  hope,  even 


ON    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.         233 

that  hope,  full  of  immortality,  which  maketh 
not  ashamed. 

There  also,  are  the  holy  angels :  those 
benevolent  and  blessed  spirits,  who  now 
cherish  towards  you  feelings  of  the  tender- 
est  affection,  and  are  delightfully  employed 
in  ministrations  of  mercy  on  your  behalf; 
(for  "  are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits, 
sen*  forth  to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salva- 
tion '?'■)  and  who  will,  ere  long,  be  your  com- 
panions and  familiar  friends,  the  sharers 
and  sweeteners  of  your  celestial  bliss. 

There,  too,  is  your  inheritance  among  the 
saints  in  light.  Faint,  indeed,  are  the 
glimpses  you  can  catch,  with  the  most 
straining  glance  of  the  eye  of  faith,  of  the 
glorv  of  that  inheritance  ;  for  "  eye  hath 
not  seen,  ear  hath  not  heard,  neither  hath  it 
entered  into  the  heart  to  conceive,  what 
good  things  God  has  prepared  for  them  that 
love  Him." 

But  can  you,  believer,  look  up,  and  catch 
even  the  faintest  glimpse  of  its  glory,  and 
20* 


234  ADDRESS    IX. 

forbear  to  lift  up  your  heart  in  adoring  gra- 
titude !  your  voice  in  songs  of  praise. 

Finally,  look  forward. 

Yet  a  little — and  He  that  cometh  will 
come  ;  for  however  the  careless  may  for- 
get, or  the  scoffers  deride,  the  promise  of 
His  coming ;  "  behold  He  cometh  with 
clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  Him  ;"  and 
for  what  will  He  come  ?  "  To  be  glorified 
in  His  saints  ;  to  be  glorified  in  you,  whom 
He  has  numbered  among  His  saints, in  glory 
everlasting." 

Yes  !  He  will  come  to  make  you  an  as- 
sessor with  Himself,  in  the  solemn  judgment 
of  that  day — for  "  the  saints  shall  judge  the 
world  ;"  to  make  you  a  partaker  of  His  own 
glory,  even  the  glory  which  He  had  with  the 
Father,  before  the  worlds  were ;  to  pro- 
nounce you,  before  the  assembled  uuiverse, 
the  blessed  of  His  Father;  to  put  you  in 
possession  of  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  purchased 
for  you  by  His  own  agony  and  bloody 
sweat ;  yea  !  even  to  give  you,  as  having  by 


ON    THANKSGIVING    AND    PRAISE.        235 

His  grace  overcome,  to  sit  down  w^ith  Him 
on  His  throne,  even  as  He  also  overcame, 
and  is  set  down  with  His  Father  in  His 
throne. 

Look  forward,  further  still,  into  the  dis- 
tant ages  of  the  coming  eternity.  Carry  on 
your  thoughts  milHons,  and  millions,  and 
millions  of  ages  beyond  the  day  of  Christ's 
appearing.  When  this  mighty  roll  of  ages 
shall  have  passed  away,  you  shall  be  still  a 
living,  rejoicing,  glorified  being — the  pos- 
sessor of  a  glorified  body,  and  a  glorified 
spirit — rejoicing  in  the  fulness  of  joy,  in  the 
presence  of  the  God  of  your  salvation. 

Travel  onward  in  imagination  still  through 
ages  to  come,  so  innumerable,  that  they 
could  not  be  reckoned,  though  the  longest 
life  were  to  be  spent  in  the  ceaseless  em- 
ployment of  adding  myriads  to  myriads  of 
ages  ;  still — still  you  shall  be  rejoicing  be- 
fore God,  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory ;  and  thus  onward,  for  ever,  and  for 
ever,  and  for  ever. 

Oh  !  to  be  perfectly,  inconceivably  happy, 


236  ADDRESS  IX. 

because  perfectly  holy,  for  ever ;  to  be  eter- 
nally ascending  higher  and  higher  in  the 
scale  of  blessedness  ;  to  be  passing  on  from 
glory  to  glory,  as  age  after  age,  throughout 
eternity,  rolls  on ;  to  be  everlastingly  draw- 
ing nearer  and  nearer  to  God  ;  seeing  more 
and  more  fully  His  divine  glories  unveiled  ; 
drinking  more  and  more  deeply  from  this 
inexhaustible  fountain  of  felicity  ;  and  this 
by  a  perpetual  progress,  that  shall  never 
have  a  limit ! — Child  of  God,  can  you  really 
believe  that  this  awaits  you,  you,  a  vile,  re- 
bellious, worm  of  the  dust — you,  a  hell-de- 
serving sinner — and  yet  refrain  from  burst- 
ing out  into  a  song  of  praise,  deeper,  louder, 
sweeter,  than  could  be  sung  by  any  angel 
before  the  throne  ?  And  oh  !  will  you  not 
— yea  !  must  you  not  even  now  resolve, 
with  fervent  gratitude  for  such  stupendous 
love,  and  humble  reliance  on  Almighty 
grace  to  enable  you  to  keep  the  resolution, 
that  henceforward  you  will  largely  mingle 
praise  with  prayer,  in  all  your  devotional 
communion  with  your  God,  whether  in  the 


ON   THANKSGIVING    AND   PRAISE.         237 

retirement  of  your  closet,  or  in  the  worship 
of  the  domestic  or  social  circle  :  assigning 
in  them  all,  a  more  prominent  place  to 
thanksgiving,  breathed  forth  in  your  family 
devotions,  in  the  sweet  voice  of  sacred 
psalmody,  singing,  with  grateful  heart,  the 
praises  of  your  God.  And,  above  all,  will 
you  not  henceforward  make  it  the  object 
of  your  supreme  solicitude,  and  unwearied 
aim,  that  the  entire  of  your  future  life,  con- 
sistently consecrated  to  His  service,  and 
continually  employed  in  promoting  His 
glory,  shall  sound  in  the  ears  of  the  God  of 
all  your  blessings,  as  one  uninterrupted 
hymn  of  thankfulness,  one  unceasing  song 
of  praise  ? 


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DATE  DUE 

r-       «rtft^ 

^''' 

1 

1 

1 

HIGHSMITH  #^ 

5230 

In  USA 

